


War Of The Worlds (Arc 2)

by EliteLenny223_StrikerStanding692



Series: Witch-ATLAS Chronicles [1]
Category: Call of Duty (Video Games), Strike Witches
Genre: F/M, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:21:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 72,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22860922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EliteLenny223_StrikerStanding692/pseuds/EliteLenny223_StrikerStanding692
Summary: Alter-ego of StrikerStanding692 from Fanfiction.net speaking here!ATLAS invaded Rome, and started to spread their influence. Irons puts his aim to action... changing the world as it is. And as the witches find ways to battle them, they experience things new to them. A new war had started... a war against a faction that can destroy the status of the allied forces once battling the Neuroi... Continuation from Arc 1 by Fanfiction.net author Marsdog.Marsdog's work linked here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11046264/1/War-of-the-WorldsHis work is considered a prequel since he stopped adopting this story.Hey, guys! If there are those preparing for the Strike Witches Season 3 premiere, make sure to give me kudos! Because I haven't stopped waiting for that premiere! :D
Series: Witch-ATLAS Chronicles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1643362
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	1. Magic Origin

**_Arc 2: Adapt to Blood and Sweat_ **

**_“Magic Origin”_ **

**_Rex Hayes POV_ **

I thought we were doing the right thing for ATLAS. I’m stationed as the security chief of the hidden division of ATLAS called MOiRe or Magic Origin. This has been operating under ATLAS for quite a few years now and of course, it’s off the books.

My time in Siberia wasn’t at all fruitful, but at least the pay sustains me for the least. I work there as the station security chief and nothing else. But it doesn’t mean I don’t get behind a desk. I assigned someone to do the paperwork, meaning I also patrol the lab for the best. The only thing that keeps me quite entertained is when Charles Magnus, the main research engineer for the magic projects that have been conducted, was doing experiments by himself.

Recently, I was befriended by Magnus thanks to the successes of his experiments, and the fact that I caught him at a bad time doing his own research. Thing is, ATLAS was able to catch on, and everything was beginning to be a disadvantage, even for the good doctor himself. I don’t know if I’d had the emotion to be on his side the whole time. I’m a mercenary, now acting as a security chief. Well... It seems my dreams of being rich was finally over. ATLAS owns me. And the bastards are just heartless to realize it.

Then... Things began to change.

3 hours after what ATLAS had done in New Baghdad, Charles himself was working in his office after he was infuriated. He never knew that his own research could be used against the free world. Worse... Something else was discovered, as a trans-dimensional portal was opened for ATLAS from New Baghdad. He began doing things on his own ever since this happened. He was NOT happy.

Next thing I knew, there was an explosion in his office. I rushed to get there, but it was too late. The room was a mess. Papers burned. Metals have melted under the fire, and the good doctor’s body was burning while lifeless. Safety crews already put out the fire and I immediately started to investigate the cause of it, and I knew it was not possible, but rarely is. Based on the explosion, it wasn’t just ONE explosion, but two, both made from SEMTEX charges. And even HE didn’t see it coming. Something was up. Someone wanted Magnus dead...

**_Neutral POV..._ **

**_Rex Hayes’s quarters..._ **

Rex was wearing his comms headset while in full gear to coordinate security around the lab. The culprits responsible could be around and this was indeed no accident. That time, he was alone and was too focused on this that he didn’t even notice someone tap his shoulder. As he spoke through his headset and was tapped on his shoulder again, he was vigilant and pinned the person who was disturbing him with her back against the wall. Rex then winced at the sight of the woman wearing an ATLAS fatigue uniform. She had black hair, with hair formed around the other in twirls to make a single ponytail, and she seems to be European in her nature of appearance. “Josie?” Rex then stepped back, regretting what he had done as he released her. “Damn it, not now. You know what happened to Magnus?”

“I’ve heard,” Josie replies with a British accent. “Hayes, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were too into investigating this, but you can’t just skip to conclusions. I mean... No one would dare to plant hidden SEMTEX charges in his room unless they were on the inside.”

“That’s the problem. Look... I’m just getting them away from both the main lab, and the place where the explosion happened. And since you’re here...”

“I know.” Josie said this before lifting her hand as a blue glow and some electric current was visible. “I’m Charles’ favourite subject, and he assigned me to be trained. 2 years. It took two years for me to actually like him. He has good intentions. He just didn’t show it the first time we met.”

“What do you think of him now while he’s dead?”

“He didn’t deserve it. He was doing this in the name of science.”

“Yeah, but your magic isn’t science, Josie. Who would have thought you had it?” Rex glared at her. “That’s why you’re his favourite and his number one subject, and guest as it turned out.”

“Are we going to talk about the situation now, or about me? I understand you have a problem, but we need to help each out here. Know what I think? Someone was too desperate to erase traces of ATLAS.” Josie eventually lets the blue glow fade.

“You’re kidding,” Rex comments in disbelief.

“Put someone in power, and you don’t know what they’ll do. Irons is that kind of person, and it all started when he lost his son. Remember that my mother knew his personality, and all he looked for was progress, no matter who or what he’d step on just to get to it. Believe it or not, he is a force to be reckoned with. With what happened in New Baghdad, there’s no doubt they stole something from Magnus himself. I might not be sure of the man, but I’m sure now. Magnus wasn’t killed by accident, and I’m sure it’s related to Irons wiping Charles out of the picture. Don’t you think that?” She glared back at him, who seemed to be more than surprised.

“You’re really saying it,” he muttered.

“I’m saying it because it’s the truth enough for me. I hope it’s truth enough for you. I’ll do what I can so Charles gets justice.”

“That’s out of the question, Josie.”

“Then are you ready to face ATLAS and your death for it without a fight? I’ve made my decision.” Josie then begins to walk out of his quarters. “It’s time you made yours.” And she was distant enough as she was seen walking down the corridor.

Rex sighs as he knew the situation could change at any second. He then decides getting another status update. “Siphon 6-2, are you at the garage? What’s your SITREP?”

“ ** _Sir, we just cleared up the garage, and no one left through here._** ”

“What about any traces of equipment used?”

“ ** _None, sir. We came up empty._** ”

**_Josie Franz’s POV..._ **

There’s no sense in waiting for everything to come down on me as I’ve made my mind. Right now, I’m heading over to Charles Magnus’ main laboratory as I know I needed to. It’s time I find out what they’re after, and what they’re doing to rub us all out for. I’m not about to be killed, or questioned without my free will. They removed it the time I was already a guinea pig. But the man never deserved death.

Two full-geared men with assault rifles were guarding the entrance to the main laboratory. I approached them and they aimed their weapons at me quickly just before I sprinted, used my magic, and disappeared, before appearing behind them thanks to my speed. I fatally twisted the neck of the first before removing his survival knife off his vest, before letting him go, then kicked the other active grunt just before throwing the same knife to his head, killing him. Yes. I don’t care whether I’m a loose subject now.

**_Rex Hayes’ POV..._ **

“Damn it...” I was muttering that while I ran the corridor upon corridors carrying my assault rifle with me. “All Siphon callsigns, head over to the main lab, RIGHT NOW!!” But as I waited for a response as I sprinted, static ran through the comms. This isn’t the ordinary kind of static. Someone or something was jamming me. Whatever’s going down, it’s happening right at this moment. ‘ _And I got a feeling this is all happening too fast._ ’

**_Neutral POV..._ **

**_Station Main Laboratory..._ **

A bald white-coat scientist in his forties has his hand handcuffed to a dummy console, while seeing another white-coat man typing furiously. A flash drive was plugged in to the console he was standing in front of, while the scientist as a prisoner kept begging the other to release him.

“Damn it, Mark!! What the hell is ATLAS going to do with the rest of the research?! You know they used it for means of desperation and it’s purely untested!!”

“That’s why we’re continuing the research without your help from now on, Dr. Nizio. Boyd, I’d love to chat, but now is not the time. We’re pulling out, since Sentinel forces are on our tail. It’s only a matter of time this facility would get discovered as well.”

“YOU WILL ALL PAY FOR THIS!!! Magnus would never have allowed this!! You... You people DID IT!”

“Oh, shut up, Dr. Nizio.”

“ ** _You’re barking the wrong tree with that tone._** ” Josie’s voice spooked Mark before he equipped his pistol and stopped typing, just before he aimed it towards the imprisoned Dr. Nizio. “Mark, I think you’ve really been giving me that bad impression.”

Mark himself was nervous that the woman was holding a survival knife and his hand shook because of it. “Don’t even come closer, or he dies. Subject One, you’re not even supposed to be here.”

“He gave me the right to be treated as a guest.”

“THE DOCTOR WAS NEVER RATIONAL THE WHOLE TIME WITH YOU!!!” Mark then saw Josie disappear thanks to her speed and his eyes widened as he heard a slashing sound. His brain stopped. His head started to part as he started to bleed.

Josie then lowered her bloodied knife as Mark’s head was cut into half and fell dead to the floor. “You were always a prick to begin with. Farewell.” And she heard Dr. Nizio’s voice screaming in fear of what’s happening. She then walked towards the imprisoned scientist and knelt on one knee near him. “Calm down, Dr. Nizio.”

“S-s-subject... One... You... You’re a killer...!”

“SHUT UP!!!” Josie then tightly grabs the scientist’s collar and pulled his face closer to her as she glared at him. “Magnus knows a lot about me, and was sympathetic of my condition. You haven’t seen it all, Dr. Nizio, but it’s true. I was trained in combat because he knows after his research has progressed, this would happen. You’ve heard of the New Baghdad incident. I expected you did something, but instead, you let a man of Irons’ hand hold you prisoner here. It’s neither yours or my fault. The man we thought you know betrayed you.”

“B-but... Why...?!”

“ ** _JOSIE!!!_** ” Rex has his assault rifle aimed straight at Josie, now looking at him as she stood up. “Goddamn it, Josie! You know what you did...?!”

“Rex... Until now, you doubt me.”

“What in the hell are you doing...?!”

“...getting the truth out, Rex. This dead man over here decided to retrieve the research in full without getting Nizio’s approval. Mark was a man under Irons the whole time, so I made sure to dispose of him quickly.”

“Josie, you know there’s no turning back from this, right?!!”

“I’m well aware.” Josie then zipped until she was in front of Rex. In surprise, Rex stepped back and Josie kept her composure before she spoke up. “Rex... Can’t you see? There are shadows working against our favour. I don’t want to be consumed by it, and neither do you. Charles Magnus died in vain and we have to live to tell the tale, as well as Dr. Nizio for that matter. Did you happen to lose contact with everyone? It’s a sign they’re keeping you in the dark.”

Rex was surprised to hear of this, but kept his weapon trailed onto her. But it quickly changed when a radio transmission came from the nearby from the entrance as he heard: “ ** _All Siphon callsigns, former-designation Siphon Alpha has been marked as a threat. Teams, move in to secure or neutralize targets ASAP._** ”

And he was convinced. Something was definitely wrong, and he eventually lowered his assault rifle. He then looked at the Weapon ID, which said, ‘Access Denied.’ “Shit... They locked me out.” He then threw his assault rifle aside. “Son of a bitch... It’s all going to hell.”

“That’s why we need to move.” Josie zipped back to Nizio before swinging her survival knife and cutting his handcuffs off the dummy console. He then reached a hand for the freed scientist. “Dr. Nizio, we’ve got to go.”

And Boyd reached Josie’s hand, grasping it before he stood up. “Thank you. But...”

“I know.” Josie then saw the monitors of the different consoles start to receive static, just before she zipped onto the last active console that the flash-drive was plugged in and removed it from it. “We’ll need to make use of the drive’s contents to do something about this.” She then threw the flash-drive and Rex caught it before putting it in his vest pocket. “Rex... Can I trust you?”

Rex nodded. “Look, we gotta go.” He then equipped his ATLAS 45 semi-automatic pistol. “It’s gonna crawl with rogue guys I thought I knew.”

“ ** _Um..._** ” Boyd said in hesitation, but continued. “There’s an automatic weapons reserve near the desk if you need it. Charles usually keeps himself something for defensive purposes.”

The reserve cabinet was opened and Rex found Boyd wasn’t kidding as he saw two MP11 Submachine guns. He grabs one and takes magazines as well as Josie who does the same.

“Josie... Think you can keep them distracted?” Rex asked this as he was done obtaining mags for his MP11.

“You need to get Nizio to safety, huh? You’re some hero. Fine. Expect a lot of bodies to pile up, but be ready when an opening is made. I can take many of them on.” She smirked before she glowed blue on her body. “Just don’t expect I’ll come after everyone. We should meet at the garage. We’re leaving.”

“Sure we are. Right, Doc?” Rex asked, seeing Boyd already beside him.

“Mr. Hayes, I would like to depend on you if that’s the case. The last thing I need is an injury,” Dr. Nizio said.

“I don’t wanna give you a reason for you to have one. Josie... Lead the way out.” Rex prepped himself just as Josie led the way out of the laboratory.

And as Josie expected with a smile, ATLAS soldiers are coming from opposite directions, already firing at the group. “This is interesting. Rex... Take the other direction. I assume that’s where you’re going?”

“GO!” Rex orders it before Josie and himself faced different directions, counter-attacking two separate squads. Josie went one way while she sprinted and held her MP11 and a survival knife separately. ‘ _She’s crazy, but a knockout nonetheless._ ’ He thought of it while returning fire until there was only one that he shot last. “Doc, stay behind me and move while I move!” Rex then moves forward, running past the bodies of ATLAS soldiers he thought he knew well.

Boyd knew following Rex was the only way he could live. He suddenly stopped as Rex ordered him too, and bullets came their way, just as the security chief was returning fire. “Where are we going?!!”

“There’s a service hatch we can use! Stay the fuck calm! Okay?!!” Rex kept his finger on the trigger as bullets left his SMG and hit the opposing side’s men. He was constantly in cover as he was fired upon, while Boyd was in cover the whole time to avoid being hit. Meanwhile, Rex was advancing as he was shooting at the last man, making holes to the head and the chest before falling dead to the ground. “Doc... Let’s go!!” And Boyd ran to Rex before they both ran for it again...

Josie sprints while running on the wall before disappearing, then appearing behind another group of men as she held a man prisoner with her knife to his neck, while firing her MP11 at the others who didn’t know. She took out the rest before stabbing the man she imprisoned until he died. She smirks at her handiwork, confirming she killed 27 soldiers already. And noticing there was a blue glow around her body, her magic was being used. ‘ _Magic that can only increase my physical abilities is something, but I know there’s something hidden. Charles... In your name, I’ll find out what more needs to be unlocked from me. I want to be stronger, as you taught me to freely be._ ’ She then sprinted forward without using her magic, heading towards the same direction Rex and Boyd went to...

**_Underground garage..._ **

Boyd was looking from behind a car just a small amount of guard detail. That time, Rex was observing the primary gate, described as a door that can open vertically and can only be done when done behind the guard switch. “Just a few guys. Nothing to it,” Rex whispered. “Doc… Stay here. It’s best we avoid a fight down here. The rest just went towards the lab and they don’t know we’re here. If they do, it’ll be too late.”

“I’ve been seeing too much blood now, Mr. Hayes.”

“Just shut it and follow my lead. Stay.” Rex orders this and eventually started to move while crouched. He moved in between military SUV’s while trying to catch a few separated patrols. There was a time that a man patrolling by himself was grabbed by Rex, covering his neck, pulling out of view before his neck was fatally twisted to be killed. He made sure of this, and did this two times.

There was a bit of radio chatter that men are starting to move back to the garage. Rex decides to hurry up, and he started it off with equipping his own survival knife, and stabbing someone’s nape from behind, killing the soldier, just before he stood up and started to advance towards the soldiers near the guard shack. Bullets came back to him, but were hitting his human shield while he fired back, until to the last man in the garage. “Alright…” He mutters this before throwing his dead human shield aside, not caring as the soldier is dead on the ground.

He sprints to the guard shack and hits the button for the main gate. Eventually, it started to open up, and he runs out back to Boyd, before busting the window of a civilian vehicle there. That vehicle in particular is not in line with the standard 2060’s vehicles. He was able to hotwire the car before it started up. “Doc… get in!!” And he sees Boyd Nizio boarding the car, just before a vent door dropped from the side of the garage as Josie jumped down from the ceiling vents. “JOSIE, COME ON!!”

Josie sprints before a door was opened for her and got in. “HIT THE GAS!!” She then sees Rex accelerate suddenly. Soldiers stormed from the side entrance before they fired at the car, but it was too late. Rex was already past the primary gate and going uphill. Another door opens as it led to an almost dark road just near an abandoned warehouse. “I wonder why this car was easy to jack.”

“It’s simple. It’s Dr. Nizio’s car.” Rex then looked at the back section, seeing Boyd breathe and tried to calm down. “Okay back there, Doc?”

“I am fine, thank you. But… We can’t get far if we’re in here. They’ll probably track us when we’re still here. They know my car.” As Boyd explained, Rex eventually gets the car onto the main road, with many lanes acting as a highway. “Soon enough, we might need to leave it, unfortunately.”

Rex shouts as he was surprised there were military SUV’s behind him. “Shit! We got company!! Josie, if you got any more ammo.”

“Don’t need to tell me twice, Rex.” Josie smirks and bashes the glass window as it broke before she grabbed her MP11 and she partly exposes herself before aiming. She pulls the trigger, and the first shot rings…

**_Rex Hayes’ POV…_ **

Subject One is known to be quite the feisty one at first, but Doc Magnus treats her like she’s his daughter. Josie’s quite the problem at first when she participated at this. She’s probably the only one who’s got magic at this world, and became a hamster. Doc Magnus however lessened the painful procedures done to her, and she liked it more. See… Josie’s mother was the one who decided her own daughter to participate, since she can’t support her, and even herself. Right now, Subject One, ATLAS-codenamed for Josie Franz is 27 years old, and she calls herself a witch since she can exhibit powers at an instant. She believed she had this when she was 16, at a past she still needed to understand, even by herself.

See… she doesn’t have a past. She came from one which she doesn’t know, and something already told me she’s very different from the rest. I wanna think otherwise.

**_Neutral POV…_ **

**_2027 hours…_ **

Lockpicking was heard just before the door was opened to a dark room. Josie and Rex get in with guns drawn just before she let her eyes glow yellow and started to clear the whole room in the darkness. She looked in the bathroom as well, and was making sure every inch wasn’t bugged at all. “Clear,” was what she said just before the lights were turned on. The hotel room they needed to stay in didn’t have any bugs at all, it seems. And Rex closed the door behind them.

Josie sighed, knowing for once, she can breathe easy. “Goodness, that was quite a chase.”

“Wanna tell me why you’re such a happy killer?” This, Rex inquired.

“I’m actually glad ATLAS has turned evil. I’m glad they began to show their true colors. I knew something was already wrong since they were rising in power, including Jonathan himself. I wish I’d see him, though. If that world he went to was very nostalgic to me, I’d find and kill him easy.”

“ ** _Charging head-first isn’t the wisest in the plan, Subject One. I mean… Josie._** ” Boyd spoke of this as an advice for her. “I mean… I’ve known ATLAS began to change objectives not to do things for the United States Government anymore, but to do something against every country responsible for waging wars, which includes the U.S. itself. That was a mistake he should not have done.”

“What’s worse is…” Josie continued Boyd’s statement. “Jonathan took this to the next level and began to move the research to another dimension, and to one that has magic, possibly. It’s the next best thing right now. So I’d probably make friends there.”

“Excuse me…?” Rex said this in surprise to Josie’s plan. “Nobody’s going there to do anything. Not yet. Look… Escaping New Baghdad is his first move. If his next move is invading the world that had less tech than what ATLAS has, it’s a good one. But once he has made ground, there’s no stopping. Josie, that’s another world you’re talking about. How much time will it take for us to actually make friends there? Irons brought more tech with him that they could advance much quickly than the armies of the free world combined.”

“Are you sure about that?” Josie smirks while asking. “Everyone hated him. So we might as well join in and see what we can do to help.”

“So what’s your first step?”

“Give up. Let the United States handle their care.”

“Sentinel…? You think they’d allow us to even get near a portal machine or the whatnot?”

“ ** _Or maybe we could build one,_** ” Boyd suggested. “There’s a good chance that with America’s current technology and leftovers from ATLAS, we can do something. But… We have to wait. If ATLAS is indeed being hunted, then that meant securing the resources needed for another Project Magic. Problem is… they’re looking at the safety of the men and women who would try it. I don’t think it would be easy, and it violates the laws they stood for.”

“Exactly,” Josie replies. “But it’s worth a shot. Right? Though, we can’t be too sure yet. We’re deep in Siberia. And probably, communications would be tracked before we would even be secured by their army. I say, we keep moving on foot, until we find an opportunity to get off the country. No cars.”

“I agree. They’ll track us. So… No communication at all?”

“…only until we at least get in contact with someone who jams audio receptors, like phones, for example. It’s the only way. ATLAS has a strong hold in Siberia. I’ve known this since Charles shares a little to me about it.”

Boyd sighs at this, knowing they’ll have quite the journey ahead of them. “I want to get some sleep. I’m sorry, but I’m very tired.”

“Rest easy, Doc,” Rex advises to Boyd just before the scientist removes his lab coat… “I may as well find something to wear before…”

“Don’t bother.” Josie then walked to the door. “I’ll find something out there.”

“You sure, Josie?”

“You think I’m a completely isolated labrat? I’m sure you heard I went out with the good Doctor months ago before all this happened. I’m fine. Besides… I have no use for the money I got right now except for food and water. But we also need clothes.”

“Where’d you get the money?”

“I got some from Charles. Now stay here. We’re gonna need clothes. Don’t worry about me.” And Josie winked as she opened the door and left the room, closing it behind her afterwards.

**_Rex Hayes’ POV…_ **

Question now is… What exactly is gonna happen to us? Sure we’ll have to be under the radar, but shouldn’t Sentinel have known that Siberia is another place ATLAS is hiding in? At this time, we can’t tell yet. Unless we get their help, we can’t expect anything soft to land on us. No, I don’t think even Sentinel will land on us pretty easily as well. They’re pretty much pissed off of ATLAS challenging the world to a war.

I have a feeling what Jonathan did was just the beginning and meant to do something with Project Magic. But what are they there for? If it’s a full invasion, then they might just succeed. That’s what I’m scared of…

**_Neutral POV…_ **

**_Hotel roof… 2203 hours…_ **

Josie was already in her civilian clothing. And that time, she was looking at the night sky. There were some clouds while there were only a few stars visible in the night. It didn’t compare to the brighter lights shown through buildings while people looking like ants still walked out late night thinking it’s not dangerous. She put her arms on the railings as she sighed, thinking of what it’s like to be down there… being normal.

The woman smiled as she heard footsteps from behind with her great sense of hearing. “I suppose you might have found it strange I called you here.”

“It depends on the reason, Josie,” said Rex who was wearing civilian clothing and eventually joined Josie. “I understand we got a lot of things to do starting tomorrow, so we may as well get rest. Doc’s sleeping in and we gotta be ready for the next day.” He advised this to Josie, but he saw she was thinking of something. “Josie, how long have you been out to Siberia?”

“Long enough. Two times in random days of every month, I get to visit different sights. Some are the same, though. He doesn’t show me much places to see unless he ventures more. He treated the country as his own home. His research was everything. That meant I was everything to him too. That’s why he’s just trying.”

“And now he’s gone, Josie. I never knew you’d be so calm.”

“It’s because he told me, and I quote: ‘If you begin to be calm, you can think better.’ Speed is everything to me, though. Sometimes, I forget his advice. My power… Speed, and being an elemental witch since I can control elements. Electricity was only a face that I can show since I can control fire, its combustion, and how it’s being used, and what other form I can use with fire.”

“Lightning.”

“Yup. But it’s through redirection of energy, to be converted to lightning.”

“That’s not magic.”

“Partly, it’s true. There’s science to it too. I trained hard and I got to that point in understanding. Science and sorcery might be two different things, but there’s a way the two can be bent for each other. Things just don’t mix in modern times because only few people get to see things this way. Charles was a man who saw things differently, and I followed on his ideals than just listening.”

“And how’s this gonna help? With the situation we got, I mean.”

Josie then looked at Rex while he looked back at her. “Rex… I know you feel bent up and not secure around me. For once, think that I’m still human. We both are. So for pete’s sake… stop doubting me while we’re level-headed. Okay? It makes me feel like I’m the one who’s wrong. Honestly, I don’t know who’s wrong between us.”

“Don’t say that. You opened my eyes on this. There’s a reason we left MOiRe. No… We’re the ones left who can pass the research Magnus has to the right hands. Irons didn’t want this to get out. But we’re gonna make sure the research is given to someone we can trust… IF we can find someone. If not, then this is the government’s problem.”

“Pass it to the worthy kind, or the kind that makes the fixed society, huh?”

“Whatever the choice, it’s something to take off our load. Alright? I didn’t want to be part of a military company that dared on the world. That’s one reason I escaped with you. I’m sure you want to live a normal life.”

“Stop right there.” Josie said this while glaring at him. “Whatever life I live, it’s not for you to say. It’ll be up to the time I know if it will happen.” And while she was glaring, she was somehow waiting for a response from Rex. It seemed he was listening, and so she continued. “Thank you, Rex. You’ve been a close friend to Charles. But I’m not your concern. I can take of myself if you’re wondering. But… I could think I owe you something after this is over.” And her glare slowly turned into an innocent look on him.

“You don’t owe me anything. So don’t start.”

“Nonsense.” Josie started to smile. “I never gave you the same level of respect as I’ve given to Charles… being like a father to me. I want us to start over. I’m already out of containment. I might be Subject One to your eyes, but I’m certainly willing to try being different from now on. I want us, to trust each other, like I trust you. What would you do with the flash-drive, which contains everything we’re going to pass to another great mind?”

“I’d give it to the great mind himself. He’d know what to do with it.”

“See? No doubt from you, Rex.”

“Still… You don’t owe me anything, alright?” After Rex said this, Josie made a soft punch to his chest that wasn’t painful as she laughed.

“Ehehehe… For once, you’ve gotta try taking credit. Maybe you’re not up for it now, but loosen up.”

“Um…”

“Live it. Okay? Now… I want us to get some sleep. Care to join me?” And as she smiled at him, she started walking to the roof door, sparing him one last glance before she left him there.

Rex felt himself blush a little, but shook his head to snap out of me and started walking to the door. ‘ _I don’t wanna lose focus, damn it._ ’ And he eventually left the roof area.

**_Josie’s POV…_ **

Normally, I don’t dream. While I was always in my room, they found a way that I could have nothing to dream about. Rather harsh, but it’s the way they do things. It was only this time I’m able to dream again, but it’s unlike any other. Before I got into the program from ATLAS, I was dreaming of someone’s baby being taken away into some sort of portal. It was happening again. The same dream that I thought I forgot was actually being seen again…

“ _Keep her safe…_ ” A voice was heard, and it seemed to be a woman. This time, her voice was clear. And I feel so… soothed by it, like I always longed to hear the voice.

“ _You know I will. Count on it,_ ” replied an old female teen of sorts who I thought was the baby’s caretaker. It was still blurry, but I can see they were in a house together. But as the caretaker left the same house, some sort of red beam had ravaged and sliced through the house before it was instantly caught on fire. An explosion even rang loud as the baby cried. I was in the eyes of the baby, and I was feeling her sorrow as she lost her mother in the fire as she thought. Then… the baby was brought in the portal together with the caretaker.

Wait… The caretaker’s face… She’s…

But before I could complete my own thought, I opened my eyes and sat up from my bed. I noticed the time just in the dim light as the clock was seen… It’s only 4:43 AM, a time in the morning too early. I saw Dr. Nizio snoring on the couch, while Rex was lying on a mat on the bed. That dream I had… wasn’t a dream. I know it because it was too familiar. It felt too real to be just a dream. Now I feel I’m being poked by something in my mind, just to snap out of it.

Next thing I knew, I was wetting my face over the sink while in the bathroom, leaving the water running. I was over-thinking, was I? Perhaps not. Perhaps the only one who would explain this, is another who has magic in her system. I’m about to find out there’s more to my magic, though. It’s because after I wiped my face with a bath towel, and I looked at myself in surprise: I had… animal ears. At first, I didn’t believe they were real ears. That changed when I attempted to touch them with my own bare hands. As the skin of my hands came in contact with the ears, I felt like it was part of me, and it was furry and… No… It can’t be true. I have the ears… of a wolf.

And to top it all off, I felt something right above my ‘behind.’ There was no mistake as I looked further, there was a tail. It was a wolf’s tail, and it was really sticking out. I looked at myself and discovered my magic is one with my tail and ears. Is this what a witch really is? If so, I don’t understand it. There’s possibly no one in the world, even a witch for that matter, to have these features like I do.

I didn’t feel afraid. I felt… curious. What am I?


	2. Adaptability

**_Jonathan Irons’ POV… Command Room, ATLAS Command Center…_ **

“They have what…?!” I slammed my hands on my desk, hearing the report of MOiRe’s Subject One who escaped the facility she was in. “It was supposed to be a clean sweep. The only ones who should have been killed are Rex Hayes and Doctor Boyd Nizio. So what the hell happened?! Subject One isn’t supposed to escape the facility!”

“Sir…” An officer decided to reply after my remark. “Right now, we’re searching for all three of them as we speak.”

“You better have, because I’m not affording Subject One to be brought in by the United States government, or any other allied with them. It could mean our downfall if they follow us here. Send a message back to the teams there in Siberia. They didn’t get far, and I know Hayes when I see him, and his experience in the field. He will be at his darkest, even with two others. Even if he doesn’t wear an Exo-suit, he’s still not to be taken lightly since he’s a former SEALS. What of the status of the drone?”

“Sir, by the looks of it, they’re gonna be securing the Duchess. Imaging just captured this, sir.” As the officer spoke, a thermal-mode video was captured from above the clouds as the same truck had stopped just near the coast. From what they could tell, a large heat signature on the water is detected, and it’s shaped like a submarine.”

“That’s because it IS one. They’re going to get her out of the country. That’ll give other armies the chance to try retake what we already took from them. Right now, if we stretch ourselves, we’ll be vulnerable.”

“Are you saying we should let them get away?”

“Unfortunately, we have to press on, and I have a plan regarding this matter. What have you found out about the girls?”

“They’re… witches as we heard, sir.”

“Good. They have magic, so we have to assume they have enough for our little project. Sergeant, get your squad ready. Not only are you in for killing these witches, but you’re more prioritized of capturing them, at least the ones who are weaker than the actual fighters.”

“And as for the Duchess?”

“What is the status of the Bomber-Strike squadron I sent out?”

“They remain undetected and they’re in the air.”

“Divert their current course towards the coast. Send them the coordinates of the drone’s current location and let them know of the sub.” And my order meant something that he’d ask.

“What are you…?”

“Sergeant, if we cannot convince the people that they completely give Romagna to us by holding their leader, then the next thing on their list is expecting their desired leader gives her life for the sake of the nation. Isn’t this how it’s supposed to be? The leaders who are willing to give for their country their own lives rather take the damage instead of others. Like I said… We press on and move for other ways to claim this country along with the rest of the European continent. We’ve done it once by claiming infrastructures and surrounded the United States at this move, and we can do it again, just with another method.

“At this rate… their world will begin to understand that the war is just not the way to mold themselves.”

“Sir… You DO know they fight against an alien species, right?” I smirked at this point, knowing I have plans for this world. “What are you planning?”

“Just get that squadron to divert their course. I’ll give you the assignment you’ll be having your squad go through tomorrow. Goodnight. I want to sleep easy for tomorrow. It’s another day, and we don’t want to lose focus.” I eventually leave that same officer behind, knowing he has his objectives given to him.

And once I got into my room, glad to be alone, I then take out something from my pocket. It looked like a futuristic phone, but it’s actually covered with some dark-red hexagons. No. I didn’t get this while I’m in this world. I got this right after Hades’ was killed back at the world I despised and knew.

It first began as the contents of this ‘phone’ as I discovered contains an AI of sorts, and I accessed it. She calls herself ‘Genie’ when I also know she’s an extra-terrestrial. I didn’t get why she was honest about this…

But I was about to find out today. My room had its own personal computer and I plugged the alien cable into one of its ports. And just like that as the PC was powered, she took it over. I saw her image again, having hexagons and red lines all over her human figure, when I know she’s very different and not human.

I took this chance to speak first. “Genie… I want answers. What do you really want that you decided to offer your own resources to me just like that?”

“ _Hehehe… Irons, you are a man with a true vision, willing to cleanse the world you thought you’d be able to control._ ”

“We both know where that vision went to. They stole my victory, since they were willing to band up against a corporation willing to change the world… a change they will never accept. So I told them in my own thoughts to screw themselves instead. If they don’t need us…”

“ _Irons, you know they’ll come after you._ ”

“By a long-shot, they’ll come after me, after I get the trust and the resources of one nation I could still get to.”

“ _And by nation, you mean Romagna. Jonathan, you already know that Romagna is strong even without its leader. I did a bit of digging around, and you’re willing to kill the Duchess?_ ”

“If it takes that much…”

“ _The year is NOT 2061._ ”

“That’s the point. Still… The witches fighting against us make them the equalizers to everything we throw at this world. I’ve lost men and aircraft out there. My resources are about to run out.”

“ _Then you must do as we all do._ ”

“What did your species do in the war?”

“ _Adapt. You must learn to adapt. And we’ve done that to last longer. We might be losing numbers, but we endured ever since we first showed up and improved since then. Taking them on at this stage will make you all vulnerable. And it’s going to wear you all down. Think about what you are all doing. The resources you think you have brought with you, will run out._ ”

“How will I know I can trust you?”

“ _It’s because you can._ ” I saw Genie smirk and her red eyes glow as it happened. “ _This corporation, is composed of mostly military personnel. You have all seen combat, and I’m sure you’ve all been giving your lives for it as well. You’ve had setbacks, and not to mention, betrayals. It’s time you move on from that and start moving everything underground. What you do now, will only wear you down faster. Let someone else take the damage. You need to get used to this world and how it works. It’s best this way._ ”

“And what about you?”

“ _I will be your informant, and the nightmare of those who use the technology you have here. I didn’t arrive at your desk just because it was coincidence. I want to see the humanity you know, burn. Only YOU and what is left of us will be the only ones they’ll see, and they’ll fall faster than how you think. Still… let time pass. You can do so much. We can do too, but we need to work together, Irons. Another day will pass, and do so little while you know so much to make progress. Isn’t that a better way of not losing lives out there?_ ”

“You’re telling me to hide.”

“ _On the contrary, I’m telling you… to hurt them slowly. You have the patience. For this world, give time for more patience, and they’ll learn to fear you. They won’t know where you are. That’s the advantage._ ” Genie has a point right now, and I don’t know what else I could do. If I kept attacking nations, it’ll be as if I’m sending my own men into a suicide mission while everything runs out on us.

But Genie, is an alien. “Is it because I have no choice?”

Genie chuckled at my question and gladly answered this: “ _It’s because I’ve known you inside out ever since you let me speak to you. Put it as a mutual understanding. I’m an AI for the species humanity in this world despises... You might be human, but you have a steel fist thanks to what you’ve done back at your world. Your technology enough is terrifying. Cease everything now. Embed fear later, with me as your spear point._ ” I saw her smile, even making me think this might be a clever plan.

“I need to start planning if that’s how it will be.”

“ _Then I will help you with the plans. They will learn… to fear us both, letting it be the only reason why they fall like weak building blocks, Irons._ ” Genie’s words were more than what’s convincing, as she also showed images of her alien species in action against the witches and the world’s armies. They’ve done so much, it seems. But humanity had a way with might and magic to adapt. She’s right about this. We might be a corporation with a more futuristic arsenal, but we need more tact at this point while we’re on our own as we don’t have magic like they do.

I only hope Genie is right. ATLAS together with her species? I was more than excited of the result…


	3. The diary

The next morning in that simple hotel in Siberia felt very different for Josie. She was just on her way back to the apartment room, expecting that the two guys are already awake. She already knows it’s past 6 and it’s pretty much enough for Rex as resting time. She finally opened the door. And as she predicted Rex was already stretching, while Boyd was still stirring awake on the couch.

“You boys certainly had a good night sleep. It’s obvious the day will turn out well,” says Josie with confidence. “However, I need you both to see something.” This got the attention of the two. “Something happened to me this early morning, and I think it might be connected to me once with my power suppressed. Since it isn’t the case anymore, I think this was meant to be.” She then closed her eyes and concentrated her magic, just before a pair of wolf ears came out of her hair. She also made her wolf tail visible for them to see as well. This was while she was giving a blue glow around her body. “See? Ears and a tail, and I was thinking of something… I had a peculiar feeling like this when I was in the facility. The only thing that suppressed these features were the titanium bracelets I usually wear while I’m on a serious roll inside.”

“Um…” Boyd wanted to speak. “Subject One… I mean… Josie… There’s a reason for the titanium bracelets you were saying. They were indeed suppressants to your true power, but we needed to see your base abilities than its extension.”

“I understand that, Boyd.”

“Then you can imagine what such power can do. That was why we were suppressing them.”

“You were afraid. I’d feel the same if I had a subject who exhibits the same thing. It’s fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Boyd… Charles was your friend. That makes you more than enough to be trusted.” Josie then glances at Rex. “Rex… Try not to stop me.” And she smirks. “I wanna see how I got with these features. I’d call them features of a demon, or familiar.”

“ ** _In short…_** ” Rex tried to clear it up. “…you got a demon inside you?”

“That’s the only description close enough, but I’d rather call it a familiar,” said Josie who was retracting her ears and tail, and her magic. “It’ll be rough out there. I’m sure they got magic sensors, thanks to the research they partially have. We’ve got to get out of City-06 if we want to get breathing room. Dr. Nizio… Do you have the flash-drive?”

“Right here, Josie.”

“Good. Rex… You are to guard him. Without him, we cannot explain the contents of Charles’ research. He’s as good as a VIP who can contribute so much. If he’s dead, we might as well treat our efforts a failure.” Josie’s words stuck to the two of them as they left the hotel room…

**_Josie’s POV…_ **

It will be hard, but I have faith on Rex. He’s more than the man I know. He wants to see all of us alive, and will make sure of it. That’s good enough for me. It must have been when he was still in service, I suppose. Still… The three of us should work together. Getting through the city without any trouble would require us to stay vigilant. We can’t afford to have a fight with ATLAS forces just yet…

**_Strike Witches dimension…_ **

**_Former 501 st Pescara base, Romagna… 0615 hours…_ **

**_Hangar…_ **

**_Neutral POV…_ **

The hangar that was once filled with striker units was somehow empty without the striker units the 501st used to store in the same place. A few striker cradles were around in case any witches of the skies decide to try come back at any case. Though at most cases while ATLAS controls Rome, it would be impossible.

A Romagnan soldier was sleeping on a mat just near the cradles just before an outraged Britannian army officer sees him sleeping.

“OI!” The Brit army officer walked towards the currently stirring Romagnan soldier before he kicked the soldier’s hip. “Get up! What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Hah!” The Romagnan soldier grabs his m91 infantry rifle and immediately sits up, then springs to stand up in attention to the officer. “Sorry!”

“It doesn’t cut it, Gordo. How the hell long were you asleep?”

“I… don’t know. An hour?”

“Agh… Bloody hell. Just an hour before the shift change.”

“I was dozing off often, sir. I couldn’t ignore my need for sleep at this point.” Gordo rubs his eyes before his forehead was poked by the army officer.

“Look, soldier. We’re assigned to keep this base out of enemy hands whether this position would benefit them or not, and we’ll only pull out once we take out of the critical assets the enemy might use against us. As long as the castle base stands, there’s at least some dignity left to this place. Now get yourself to the barracks. You’re back at six hours, Gordo. Dismissed.” The Britannian army officer gently pushed Gordo to walk out of the hangar into a jog. While that happened, a Liberion soldier with a Thompson SMG came in. “Corporal Wilson, you’re up for watching the cradles this morning. Make sure they remain intact.”

“I know, I know, LT.” Wilson replied this to his superior. “Look, Gordo’s service time is really short since he got out of the camp. Maybe you should take it easy on the guy?”

The Britannian lieutenant sighed. Wilson had a point, but he’s just making sure everyone is kept in check in case the situation in their area changes. He then looks at Wilson to answer him. “Corporal, being frank with you is rather tiresome. I suggest you follow orders instead of questioning them. We are at a very tight leash after the 501st abandoned the position due to orders. You know yours and mine are the same. So don’t make it hard for everyone else.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Entertain a sergeant if you must when it comes to inspecting what’s left of the hangar, but nobody else comes in.” The Britannian lieutenant then leaves Wilson in the hangar, leaving the Liberion soldier to sigh as he stretches his shoulders for the morning.

The whole base had been occupied by soldiers and maintenance crew. A total of 28 combatants and 12 maintenance personnel were in the base. There’s not much to get from the base except some of the documents left behind. Most don’t know however that their stay would be cut very short.

A camera view of the whole base was being viewed while **_inside a covered Liberion patrol jeep just off the base…_** A remote control on an ATLAS soldier’s wrist was being controlled by its owner, with the remote attached to the wrist of his uniform. He controlled the way the drone was being steadied over the great view of the base. From the normal view of the drone, he switched the drone’s vision for white thermals.

“Alpha Eye’s got visual…” The soldier said this while he looked at his monitor on his uniform wrist remote control module. “I’m reading about 40 hostiles in the base. What the play here?”

“Oh, you’ll know, Alpha Eye.” A familiar Sergeant’s voice was heard on the radio. “Alpha Eye, do you see additional thermals marked as strobes?”

Alpha Eye was looking closely as some of the white thermals were disappearing and one by one were being replaced by flashing strobes. “Oh shit…” Alpha Eye said this himself in a mutter. He was shocked to see the cleverness of his teammates.

**_Briefing room in the castle…_ **

A Romagnan soldier was browsing a folder with papers in it. Another two soldiers were with him packing up papers and folders in boxes.

The soldier looking at the folder sighed. “There’s nothing much here. There are just notable places in Romagna. I already know half of these. Find anything yet, Private Durante?”

“Nothing,” replied Private Durante before putting down a box of papers. The other soldier beside him decide to look at the chairs. Durante looked from that sight to his superior. “Corporal, don’t you think we should move on? What exactly are you looking for? We’re not really assigned for the information picking.”

“I know, I know… Private. But what’s really special about orders that regards a part of Britannian and Liberion sections? If it’s critical information, I wouldn’t be surprised. Having them in it is a bit of a stretch for them, don’t you think?” The corporal said this to Durante before a Romagnan soldier called from outside the briefing room.

That soldier who called from outside the briefing room was looking straight at the corporal. “Sir… One of us just collapsed. I don’t know why, but he’s not breathing.”

The corporal winced as he heard of this. He looked at Durante. “Private Durante, I’ll be returning shortly. Make sure you and Croce secure the documents. They may not look important, but every bit helps. I’ll see what this one’s about.” The corporal then leaves the two behind to join the Private in distress as they walk the hall.

The corporal and the private then walk into the pantry where they find the collapsed body of a machine-gunner. The corporal then looks to examine the unconscious soldier. The distressed private’s fate was immediately sealed as a laser point had arrived at his head before a suppressed shot fired a bullet that went straight through his skull, killing him as his body dropped to the floor. The corporal was alert and immediately aimed his weapon at the ones responsible, not aware of an ATLAS mercenary in helmet and uniform close to him as he was given an elbow to the face, disarming the soldier. With the soldier corporal disarmed he was pinned to the wall. Joining in the action are two ATLAS soldiers aiming suppressed weapons at him with laser points on his body. A knife was brought up to his neck by the one who pinned him.

“Faremo questo semplice. (We will make this simple.)” The ATLAS mercenary who held him prisoner with the knife and his hold spoke in Italian to make the other understand. “L'ufficio del comandante. Dov'è? (The commanding officer's office. Where is it?)”

The corporal who was held prisoner glared at the mercenary before he spoke. “Non parlerò mai come uno scoppio. Diavolo. (I will never speak to scum like you. Devil.)”

“Sono stato chiamato peggio. (I’ve been called worse.)” The mercenary says this before he makes no hesitation to let his knife’s edge touch the neck of the soldier and sliding it quick through the skin and meat and off. The blood then flows out through the slice as the soldier tries to gasp for air, but struggles as he immediately loses blood, losing his consciousness, then losing his ability to move until he dies of blood loss. Gently putting the soldier down, the other two with him were following procedures like clockwork, leaving the pantry to search for other rooms. “Time of war. Ain’t that a bitch?” He says this in a whisper before leaving the three corpses in the pantry. “Flex 1-1 to Battleaxe, we just got in through an entrance near the pantry.”

“ _Don’t make noise, Flex 1-1._ ” Battleaxe replies this in a cautionary tone. “ _You might be at a loose part of the castle, but keep your eyes open. Alpha Eye might be in the sky, but don’t think it’s a walk in the park._ ”

“I get it, Battleaxe. Kill the guys, and don’t make a racket. I know the drill.”

“ _You got two guys inside the castle’s briefing room. Take them out quietly._ ”

Flex Lead then approached the door to the briefing room with two others behind him.

Meanwhile, the two soldiers softly laughed at each other while one of them started to light the other’s cigarette with a lighter.

“ _Aiuto, aiuto, ho bisogno di aiuto! (Help! Help! I need assistance! Help!)_ ” A shout of a man came from outside the door of the briefing room.

The two soldiers including Private Durante himself have been baited as they ran for the door. As soon as it’s done and the two have ran out of the briefing room, laser points went to his head and the other before suppressed weapons fired rounds. He receives the headshot that killed him, and it was the same with the other.

“Tangos down. 2 and 3, check the room out. I’ll look at the connecting hallway for more. And hurry up.”

**_Some hallway where the Witch’s rooms were…_ **

A Liberion and a Romagnan soldier were looking at the long hallway and were bored.

“Agh… This is real bull.” The Liberion soldier said this to the other soldier. “Look, aren’t you tired of looking left and right or even walking around? We’ve been at it since this morning.”

“Ahh, you Liberion.” The Romagnan soldier replied. “I don’t consider that your kind whines at this sort of assignment. But now I’m wrong.”

Meanwhile, two Romagnan soldiers with their helmets down are approaching the active-duty soldiers at the same hallway. They walked fast, looking at the two unaware active soldiers with murderous intent before they made their move. One of the passerby soldiers equips a suppressed futuristic pistol and fires at one of the soldiers towards the temple. The other remaining soldier sounding like an American tried to fire his machine gun, but was held prisoner with a set of strong arms from the other passerby soldier who then snaps his prisoner’s neck.

The two assassins under the soldier uniforms looked around and nodded at each other, before the one who held the pistol split and decided to check one of the rooms.

“Martyr 2 to Battleaxe,” said the armed operative. “We just cleared the hallway. I’m moving in one of the rooms now. This one’s got quite the touch. It actually has the sign for ‘night patrol.’”

“ _The room is probably a place for personnel who fly for night missions or patrols. We have yet to access the dossier for all the witches, so keep in mind that room._ ”

Martyr 2 eventually enters the room and finds a room with a double-bunk bed. He knows it’s empty, so it only takes his calmness and his keen sight to look around.

“Abandoned. It’s the same for the rest of the rooms, so I should find something easy in here. I don’t wanna get in that other room where it’s fucking messy. And I thought they got fucking discipline.” Martyr 2 reports this to Battleaxe, having been annoyed after he visited Erica’s room before being at where he was at that moment.

He browsed drawers and all he could find are current world currency bills.

“Battleaxe, I’m getting notes here. Cash. Guess they don’t get these sent for a reason. I’m guessing Rome’s a good place to shop. They need to find another good spot for it.” Martyr 2 reports this and gets no comment from Battleaxe, so he picks the cash out and takes it all. Putting it safely in his utility belt back-pocket, he continues to search the room.

Finding nothing but clothes, he searches the beds and winces at the sight of some sort of small book. Though with the shape and the outline of it, he would recognize what it is: A diary. He then opens it to find words probably belonging to one of the witches. And it’s in Russian.

He reports what he finds to Battleaxe.

“ _Great work, Martyr 2,_ ” replied Battleaxe. “ _A diary could mean current events, as well as a mix of past experiences. Take it with you and keep it intact. We could use the intel for further investigation of the witches we faced in Rome._ ”

“Copy that.”

“ _What else did you find in the room?_ ”

“Just a deck of fortune cards. Looks like the other witch in this room is a fortune-telling witch. She could be a future-looker.”

“ _Organize the deck and take it. If there’s nothing else in the room that we could use, move on to the next one._ ”

And as Battleaxe said it, Martyr 2 wasn’t able to find any other items in the room. Shrugging it off, he leaves through the door looking left and right before moving onto the next door.

Meanwhile, the Britannian commanding officer was looking at a document he was reading in **_the commander’s office_**. He knew that the Lynette Bishop herself had already transferred to another base. It was sad that an enemy element had already taken Rome. It was even sadder and at a time maddening that it was a human faction that had stormed Rome.

He looked out the window where he could see the long stretch of the runway. It was a morning he could never forget, and it was a brand new day. Closing his eyes, he was feeling the pressure of all this. Soon, the unit will leave the base for good if this human faction stays longer in the city.

The commander then winced at something. He was supposed to see a two-man patrol pass by to walk the stretch of the runway. No one however had arrived. Narrowing his eyes, he would notice there was only one patrolman who held an SMG. That patrolman looked suspicious, as he was smoking when it’s not his break time yet.

He then stopped to listen only to the silence of the room and what’s outside. The commander heard only his breathing and his heartbeat. As what he suspected was a reality, he tried to go for his pistol, but was stopped by something poking his nape. He stopped going to his pistol at this point. He knew it was a gun’s nose…

“H-How?” The Britannian commander asked this.

The suppressor-equipped ACOG scoped-equipped AMR-9 SMG was poking its suppressor at the commander’s nape. Its holder, looking like a Romagnan soldier though wearing a black cap in reverse with the logo of the ATLAS Corporation, kept the gun up to the commanding officer.

“Yeah. Good question. Hands up and put them at the back of your head. Slowly.” The AMR9 owner said this as the door fully opens behind him, letting a base officer drop with his neck slit and bleeding while the commanding officer raises his hands up and places them at the back of his head. ATLAS officers came into the room but were relieved to see one of them already with the commanding officer startled. The half-disguised ATLAS grunt took the commanding officer’s pistol and gave it to an ATLAS soldier behind him. The gun was stripped of its magazine and the bullet inside it was cocked out. “That’s better. See, this is your problem. We landed at your time. You don’t fucking know us. You’re just attending to what they tell ya. And guess what? They leave people like you dead. That’s why you’re here. At one time, they’d know this base would be taken over, and you’re just in the meat grinder.”

“YOU LIE.” The Britannian commanding officer turned around and put his hands down to glare at the owner of the submachine gun once aimed at the back of his head. The same man stepped back and kept his aim at the officer before the other ATLAS grunts raised their weapons.

“ _Whoa, whoa. Stand the fuck down._ ” Coming into the room is another ATLAS soldier but he seems to lead the current squad, or maybe the whole ATLAS unit who raided the base. He took off the ATLAS cap on his head and had a good look at the Britannian commander. “Lieutenant Charles Jameson. So you’re the unit’s commander. Thought I’d get you to be the last one standing.”

“And who are you?”

“I’m just known around most guys who shine my boots as Battleaxe. Lieutenant, you gotta forgive Harley for his little way of giving you pressure.” He said this while he looked at Jameson who right now is nervous. “Scared to shit?”

“You’re unbelievable. You prevent the alarm to be raised.” Jameson looked nervous but glared at Battleaxe. “I’m guessing you’ve already dealt with the others somehow… at the barracks, the hangar, and most at the messhall.”

“Used mute charges to take down the guys at the messhall, slit throats and gave headshots to those in the hallway and the rooms. The barracks, we cleared. See… Stealth’s really an option for us. Otherwise, we’ll just make things messy with the loud noise.”

“Why? What would you find here?”

“Well that’s really simple. We picked up a few things and we couldn’t help notice witches once resided here, Lieutenant. Got something to tell us?” Battleaxe asked, just before Harley got beside him and gave him a folder.

Harley handed the folder over to his superior. “He was reading this before we got here.”

And Battleaxe looked at the contents of the folder before he smiled.

“Well, well.” Battleaxe said before looking at the commander who was nervous and looked back at the papers in the folder. “Ms. Lynette Bishop. One of the witches assigned to the 501st Joint Fighter Wing ‘Strike Witches.’ Tell me something Lieutenant. By far, how many of these Joint Fighter Wings are present in the war?”

Jameson kept his steely glare at the man who asked. “I will not speak to you or anyone about the alliance against the Neuroi.”

“Sure.” As Battleaxe replied, he nodded to the other grunts before they took off their suppressors and kept their weapons aimed at the Lieutenant. “Make sure you say hi to your unit. End it.” The ATLAS grunts pulled the trigger on their weapons before firing at full auto at the commanding officer. Jameson was hit by bullets, giving him holes and pushing him at the window, shattering it before he fell out of it. Blood sprayed as he fell and splattered along with his body as his corpse hits the ground. ATLAS soldiers walked beside the corpse carrying other corpses to a small hill out of them. Soon, Jameson’s corpse was carried and thrown there.

**_ATLAS HQ… Operations Control…_ **

**_Iron’s POV…_ **

I looked at the camera view of each of my contractors. Some of them went their way to kill loosely. At least most of them are organized in using the Mute Charge I gave them. I know at this point these kinds of raids would lessen with the use of our own equipment, so we need to make sure a foothold’s established. Genie’s right. We’ll be staying for long in this world with the knowledge we got with ours. Because of that, we gotta start adapting and use resources we find here.

Though with the operation in Pescara a success and plenty of information laid at the table, I can finally get started in thinking of plans for the future of ATLAS. Our world turned on us before. Now it’s switched. We’ll be taking this world for ourselves.

**_Pescara base, Romagna…_ **

**_Neutral POV…_ **

The burning bodies outside the hangar smelled as the crisp sound of uniforms being burned were heard. The skins of the corpses were blackening at each second they were burned by the gasoline-induced flames made on the small hill of corpses.

A woman wearing some sort of doctor’s uniform was on her knees with her hands covering her mouth. She was shocked, sad, and moreover, starting to feel scared for her life. She was witnessing the dead soldiers being burned. She saw maintenance personnel kneeling on the ground with their hands behind their head. They were all lined up across the door of the hangar while their heads were down.

One of the ATLAS grunts saw one of the maintenance workers stand make a run for it in fear. He was instantly killed as bullets entered his chest and dropped to the ground.

The female doctor widened her eyes looking at how her conquerors were treating prisoners. Maybe it would be the same the other way around? She shook her head imagining it wouldn’t be the case.

‘ _I refuse to believe we are capable of shooting our own prisoners…_ ’ She thought of it before looking at the grunts talking to each other. Then the man known as Battleaxe went to the grunts. She couldn’t make out the words and the advanced terms given to the grunts, but she could make out several. She hears that the maintenance workers could be useful. She eventually sees the maintenance workers forced to stand up by the soldiers around her. As the workers were standing next to each other still with hands at the back of their heads, the grunts around them force them to walk in line to a direction where there were trucks nearby. They will be transported out of the base.

“Like what you see?” Battleaxe approached the doctor and he could tell she was shocked. “We’re not all bad you know,” he said at a tone for flirting with women. “You get used to us a lot and you’ll be treated very well. You can even have a few friends.”

The female doctor winced at the meaning and glared at him. “You disgust me.”

“Take it easy, Doc. Nothing’s gonna happen to ya. Thing is, we just need information.”

“You are a terrible liar. You killed off the military unit here, and you’re just here for information?”

“Like it or not, that’s what we came here for. See… Us future dwellers really need it. After all, we wouldn’t really do well without it. It’s just like the brass at this time. Only… we get farther than they do. So… That’s where YOU come in.” He leaned his face close to the female doctor’s face. He made a poker face, and he exhibited no emotion at her. “The 501st stayed here, so I already know you got medical information stored around the place. You’re giving them to us so we’d study them. See… We like taking care of people. And you’re gonna tell us what we know.”

“Screw you.”

“Bad talk, Doc. See… We can do anything. We can even hold you against your will. You won’t be able to see your family again. Heck… You won’t even be recognizable when you see them. Because you’ll be having a big scar up in your head and you can bite your two sons in the ass. All that thing about war is gonna be inside you, and you’re gonna be a threat to them, just because you didn’t talk, and we made fun of your mind. You sure you want that for your family?” Battleaxe then brings out a photo of the woman with her two sons, one 13 and the other 18. “The thing about family… is that you’ll be able to do them a very big favor. Just live and come home safe. That just requires you to tell us what you know and you can go home.”

The female doctor didn’t hesitate. Selfish as it may seem, she’d definitely do anything for her family than for her country. It disgraced her from the inside. She was in **_the clinic_** with some grunts and Battleaxe. She was giving a small bag relating to the health of the witches of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing. Battleaxe smiles at this.

“You done us a big service, Doc.” Battleaxe gave this remark to her and she made a weak smile. He groaned. “That’s a bit sick. Boys… You need a break.”

Richardson, one of the grunts, winced at this and looked at Battleaxe. “Serious? We get to-?”

“Look… Don’t ask.”

The woman then suddenly lost her smile and looked around, seeing eyes from the grunts now with different intents. “Wait… We… We had a deal!! What the…?!” Suddenly, Richardson holds her arm tight. “Ow!! Let go!! NO!! Don’t…!”

Battleaxe chuckled. “Doc… You fail to understand. In war… There’s just no guarantee that everyone comes back alive. Unfortunately, you’re one of them. Boys… You got your cake. Just… make it fast.”

The ATLAS grunts smile in lust as they close in at the female doctor, quickly stripping her clothes from her as she screamed. Battleaxe could only hear the rips of her clothes as he leaves that clinic. Soon, he just heard flesh touch the other with moans and screams from the woman. He then leaves the area, knowing the woman had sold herself.

**_In the company of Jonathan Irons…_ **

Battleaxe was in the **_ATLAS briefing room_** with Irons himself as they both sifted through the files they found at Pescara.

Irons though he was working had a comment. “We may be efficient and way ahead, but I have to remind you that barbarism isn’t our real aim here. We aim to explore and conquer. Maybe the worst of us are present in the company, but you’re simply showing too much aggression. And what’s this I hear about a good time with a woman?”

“Hehe…”

“Seriously, please take the work you’ve been given some consideration. We were only here for a while, and here, I find you fooling around.”

“Look, Boss. We’re gonna be stuck here awhile. If I can’t find a way for my guys to be given their own nuts for smile desires to be satisfied, they could do things we all won’t like. Look… May as well be given a way to mess up with some control. We can do that, right? Boss, take this as a way they get their hopes up. We win ourselves a world, we’re gonna be given everything. May as well start dumping ourselves the new dust we’ll own. Right?”

Jonathan shook his head for some disapproval. “I don’t like where you’re going, but I suppose you need this to be done in moderation. They’re men, I suppose. But don’t abuse it. If I hear anything about abuse onto parties we’re allied with, you’ll be answering directly to me. If I’m not in a good mood at all, you might be having worse than a conversation. Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir.” Battleaxe answered this before he cleared his throat. “By the way… Where’d ya sent Ghost and One-Three? I heard they pretty much left quickly.”

“Well, if you must know…” Irons looked at the small notebook and raised it up to let Battleaxe see it. “See… it contains some good entries we might be interested in. Imagine if one of the witches was looking for their identity and hasn’t found it yet.”

“Yeah?”

“This witch is Russian in nature. I suggest she’s one of the 501st. Sanya Litvyak. I saw her name at the dossier and this thing she could be wondering of could be answered.”

“So…?”

“I sent Ghost to where we might exactly find her answers. It’s not accurate yet, so I’ll let you know only if it’s a success. Battleaxe, good work. This is intel we need… And indeed… It’s a good start for us.” Irons said this, closing the diary and putting it on the table.


	4. Let’s Dig In

**_Neutral POV…_ **

“Listen... you pull one thing over, and the next thing you’re gonna worry about is what that thing will pull, and how stressful it’ll be.” Gideon said this to Jack Mitchell himself both walking **_in a certain hall_** while some staff of SENTINEL were casual around them. “We once got worried of ATLAS getting out of hand, and Project Magic becomes our biggest issue. So what’s next?”

**_Sentinel HQ… 1322 hours…_ **

“The next problem is the technical specs and the real source of the thing.” Mitchell muttered letting Gideon hear. “Just when we think we’re really close.”

“That’s intelligence for ya. You can’t expect all the information you find is exactly what we need. If we need to scavenge whatever’s left of ATLAS for it, then we’ll do exactly that. They’re still scattered across the globe and we gotta take down what remains of them.” Gideon explained before scratching his head while softly groaning. “Honestly, I don’t know what we should do next. Because if it’s building the machine of sorts to get us to the place Irons went to, then I’ll be expecting our safety.”

**_Sentinel HQ East Analysis Chamber…_ **

As Gideon and Mitchell entered there, a few technicians were using the holographic table as they tried to put schematics together like a puzzle. They were looking at the detailed building plan of some sort of containment unit to power the machine that is used in Project Magic. The intel was only able to get them so far, but if this is correctly cracked, this will be one of the most useful assets they could have to construct the Project Magic machine. Though without the machine specs, the process would take longer. That’s something Kingpin would like to avoid going through and do whatever is possible to find more ATLAS facilities scoured on the globe.

Ilona was observing the technicians when she noticed Mitchell and Gideon were approaching her. “We’re making progress.”

“We can see that,” Gideon replied. “I’m just worried about just how far we’d get to even if we have this intel. Because as far as I know with magic, we’re going to see more idealists than realists.”

“Maybe it could help us, Gideon.”

“Or maybe it could help us if we have information we can work on. Magic isn’t really this world’s forte and we had some research done. It dried up as soon as the dark ages came and they believed witches need to be in ashes for all we care.”

“You really think that’s the truth about how magic died?” Ilona asked this at Gideon before she looked at Mitchell. “What about you Mitchell?”

Mitchell shrugged. “Can’t say I got a bead on how it works, but I know it exists. It just… won’t operate our way. I don’t know. Gut feeling.”

“We all could trust our gut as a last resort,” Ilona said before a chuckle. “I just hope we could use it not at the last minute like the situation demands it.”

“Can’t be too sure of things until it’s too late though. That’s for sure,” Mitchell commented.

“Fuck me,” Gideon mutters a curse to himself.

**_Near a Siberian Police checkpoint…_ **

Just **_at a building across the checkpoint,_** binocular eyes were focused on the small police detail posted as security. Rex however knew that the police detail wasn’t filled with Siberian police officers. The SMG’s the standard-issued officers have might be there, but the Kevlar and faces were familiar. Rex recognized the shape of the Kevlar vests. Though marked for the police, he knew that it’s aligned to ATLAS. Thanks to this, he knew that ATLAS soldiers had disguised themselves as police officers.

“I think they’re desperate,” Rex muttered to himself. “Disguised as police officers?”

“Good thing they can blend in,” said Josie who was wearing civilian clothes but also a vest which can carry weapon magazines for small arms. She was installing red laser point attachment to her Sig-Sauer MPX SMG. “That just makes it a problem. If their true intention was to locate us and kill us off, they would have sent a task force. They’re holding on from that. Looks like they got other plans.”

“Still… it doesn’t make things easy. Once they recognize us, they’ll drop their cover and try taking a shot at us.” Rex shortly explained his point to Josie before looking at Dr. Boyd. “Doc, you better be ready to have bullets fly past ya. Cause I don’t think we’ll stay hidden for any longer.”

Boyd himself had finished wearing his Kevlar vest as he heard Rex’s comment on the situation and what he needed to do. “Just keep me alive along with the data.”

“Aw… Can’t trust your new protectors?”

“Screw you, Rex. I got no choice. This is the right thing anyway. But I hope there were other ways to get through to SENTINEL.” Boyd comments before he sat down on the nearby chair. “I will probably just move on after I give the data to them. I must find a way to make my life more worth it. Damn it… I should have backed out the moment I noticed ATLAS changed stances. And to have Irons actually draw its last straw by using the magic we stole to invade another world…?”

Josie sighed at what Boyd meant and looked at him. “Look… It’s all in the past now. The way we’ll explain it and what we’ll do next will come, but that’s something we’re gonna have to put aside, and think of the present. You wanna move on after all it’s over? Fine. I won’t stop you. I seek to do the right thing not just standing by while they abuse magic and possibly of mine since I’m involved. It counts me to stop their abuse and undo what they’ve done.”

“Undoing it will take a long time, but I’m convinced of stopping them the same as you.” Boyd make a weak smile on his reply but it soon faded. “Not that it’ll matter if we hit a dead end on our plan.”

“We’ll make it matter.” Josie smirked before she made a blue glow around her body before her wolf familiar features showed up by its ears and tail. “You’ve got me. Consider me this team’s hard spear. Because I’m ready to put it to good use.”

**_Back in the Witches world…_ **

**_ATLAS Mobile HQ… Irons’ room…_ **

**_Irons’ POV…_ **

Lying on the bed is the best way to gather some strength for the next day. I know my days in ATLAS have been both easy and hard. I know I was up to the task of getting the invasion force to go through with the plan swiftly, and I thought about it every day. They depend on me for the success of our ordeals, but I’m the one who started this. And therefore, I have to finish it… together with the company. But what of the alien race though?

I was sitting on my bed thinking about this, and Genie had this plan in her head she wasn’t sharing yet. It would seem she has this under control? I can always manage things on my own. I thought I had it all planned out, but it ended when we took over Romagna. Well… At least we’re adapting and progressing at the same time. But I can’t always expect that every invasion would go off without a hitch.

“ _This is the Irons I know who was too obsessed with something._ ” Genie’s voice got me to turn my head on her holographic image in her human size. The engineers were able to get her to that size since her appearance was the only thing that was needed. And, since my room needed company, I had to make sure to make it a big holo projector for her to walk around in.

I only sighed and looked away. Genie’s hard to read with what she does.

**_Neutral POV…_ **

Genie approached him and sat beside him on the bed. She knew she can’t feel the bed, but she needed to make it real for him. She already sensed he needed something.

“Irons, I want to be quite clear I’m not just an ordinary A.I. for starters,” said Genie as she looked at Irons, letting him glance elsewhere for his sake. “I can understand emotion thanks to the human evolution… plus how my kin have translated them during my time with them.”

“Still…” Irons looked with a serious glance at Genie. “You are unpredictable, and I’m only putting up with you because of what is best for the company. As of the day we arrived here, we don’t consider ourselves a company anymore, but a force not to be reckoned with.”

“And… you wanted the company to be far more than just what it is. I’ve been alone for a while to think about it, and it’s not just based on logic. You desire this faction to realize its full potential. I’m more than happy to help you, because I’ve made a decision on something recently.” Genie said this and it made Irons wince and raise an eyebrow. “I wish to discuss it with you.”

Jonathan irons then looks away and focuses on a picture of his son Will. During his time in the world he came from, he lost his son while serving the Marines. Jonathan changed during the time, and it shaped him from that moment.

“I remembered the moments I had before I left.” Irons said to Genie. “All those decisions I made… was it because of Will’s death? Because even if I steered ATLAS into a direction, I knew that my mistake lied when I was criticizing the world’s habit of making wars.”

“I see. You started to see that every move you made after your son died had a personal touch.”

“I was… unstable.” Irons then looked and glared at Genie. “I don’t want you to be.”

Genie looked down and felt her fist ball up before she narrowed her eyes, showing tension within herself. “I can understand where you’re coming from, but my resolve for helping ATLAS getting this far wasn’t with the intention of studying you. It changed the moment I learned of your world and how the company is, and was. Suddenly, I realized that I was just being given orders for a certain reason, which still makes the wars of this planet all the more worse. Your situation matches with mine.”

“Does it? The last thing I heard, is that the Neuroi have a hive-mind.” Irons said this in reply before Genie looked at him.

“That’s not the case. The Neuroi have their own lives before they sought out to make a war with humanity. They might follow a certain leader, and be willed to overthrow to humanity, but they still have one thing that makes them vulnerable: Fear from being taken by an entity of their own origin. That’s exactly what I’ll give to them. Like your world, their flaw is not being in total control of themselves, and the hive queens are to blame for it. Neuroi were not known as Neuroi before we came to the shape that you see to this day. We were once… savages, more despised than the rest in the world we could have shared with humanity. We had less intelligence that time, and always had a quarrel with them. They send out magic users, and it becomes our nightmare. We had no edge against them. And it follows to this day as well. If the Neuroi fail to see that, it will be catastrophic. Those who thought of peace within our ranks were silenced permanently, and it was proven when one of our own tried to attempt communicating with a joint fighter wing once. She had resolve, I think. I did not know her in full until after she was obliterated. No… I don’t believe it for a second. I’m guessing she was captured. Her information was never even shared to the rest of her own rank.”

“So this is your drive?” Irons asked and began to smile. “I’m beginning to like this side of you… concerned of your own race.”

“Hmph. I’m concerned they’re being led wrong. Whoever their loyalists are, I’ll make sure to either straighten them out, or kill them myself.”

“What are you planning, Genie? This won’t involve talking to them, would it? It can be arranged. You know them than the rest of ATLAS.”

“I believe ATLAS can get in line with me, but I don’t wish to do this alone. I’ll need resources for my plan. Because if a diplomatic solution fails at this point, I have second option. I can hack and shut down their hives and let it be under my control. For my race to survive, I have to divert its power to a more organized side. And I’m not about to see every single member of the Neuroi perish within their control. I’ve had enough of it. All of it.” Genie stood up and in front of Irons hovers off the floor. “Jonathan… Believe me when I tell you that the Neuroi are on their way to their own destruction if they keep continuing down their path. One hive was destroyed already. Any more, and it will lead us down to a fate we’ll never accept.”

“Are you talking… of overthrowing your own kin?”

“My kin need to live. For too long, their war had decimated many of us. We need a new strategy. I need to make them see my point. If talking won’t be enough, I’ll demonstrate it along with your assistance. For that… I need to reveal myself to the rest of ATLAS.” Genie’s words didn’t leave a voice of doubt.

**_ATLAS Mobile HQ… Central Command Hub…_ **

“What’s the status of the sub?” Irons asked this to the leading officer in Central Command.

“Splashed to nothing, sir.” The Central Command officer said in reply to Jonathan Irons, who just arrived. “But we got a situation. Heat tracking just told us something different about Duchess Maria and the team that rescued her. A landing craft was used to leave the submarine and that happened while the sub was surfaced. Our strike craft attempted pursuit when it was attacked by a school of laser beaming aliens.”

“Hmph. That must be the Neuroi. Looks like they went to a rough part of Romagna just to get the Neuroi to be our focus. It’s smart. But it won’t last.” Irons said this before he added more. “Furthermore, I think I should reveal our newest ally.”

The others looked at him, and he noticed they were listening.

Jonathan Irons notices their ears were on him. “She’s been around ever since we opened this world to the first team of engineers in Project Magic’s testing phases. Well… She’s being tried, once. She hacked into our system. Our antivirus tried chasing her, and she constantly avoided them. But in order for her to completely get away, she integrated herself into our system so that she’d be accepted instead of running. There… she evolved into an artificial intelligence that’s actually Neuroi in her origin.”

All the screens at the Central Command Hub flickered until they all went black. The people who were at their stations checked what happened. A few seconds later, the stations were rebooted. Though this time in addition to the work that was left untouched on their screens, there was Genie, smiling at them. Her face was calm as she smiled at them. She even appeared on the main screen in the room.

“The information you have provided is a little too stiff for a being such as myself.” Genie said this as she did a curtsy. “I was codenamed as a virus GN-552-Echo. Though with my development, I nicknamed myself Genie.”

The officer was shocked to see this. “Wait… GN-552-Echo?!! Oh hell… Our team was on the clock in finding the virus… Damn it… What are you…? A.I.?!”

“You have a fear of artificial intelligence?” Genie tilted her head to the side in curiosity.

“ATLAS was always about independence from a nation. If that meant independence from machine control which has always been for a very long time-!”

“Enough, Garland.” Genie said this with an authoritative tone while she glared at him. “Irons has given me control of your systems as far as I know and acknowledge. I understand your position having fear in artificial intelligence. But calm yourself. I will not mean everyone harm… for I come with good intentions for what this company is worth.”

Genie shared events with the use of advanced software to make images so that they’d see where she came from, and how she adapted to be a strong A.I. with the help of the ATLAS cyber-system. She even told them about what her worth is to both the Neuroi and to ATLAS.

“They gave me orders to investigate your world and manipulate your technology,” said Genie. “But once I looked into the story of your world and mine, it hit me. Aren’t the wars that were in my world just parallel to yours? I learned that with the history books you have used. I knew I was being tested, or being discarded if my kin did not really care. So I had to change priorities. Instead of my kin being what they are, why don’t I save them? And with the company’s assets and its hardworking people, I can do that. But this… This is something I need. In order for this faction to succeed, you will need the hand of the Neuroi. I’m going to decide to talk to them about the alliance.” She wickedly smiles. “Though if they fail to understand my aims and refuse, I will have a better treat for all of you.”

**_1938 hours… Over the Adriatic Sea…_ **

Irons was inside the **_ATLAS Warbird_** flying over the seas under stealth camouflage. A small security detail was with him. He held a hand-sized Holographic Projector which contained Genie. Activating it, her holographic image comes up and she appears small since she stood on her platform, which is the base of the projector he held.

“I’m guessing you have doubts,” Genie said. “Look… I know this will work. The link is stable and I believe in your team.”

Irons sighed. “It’s not that. Genie… What you’re about to do… It can be a double-edged situation.”

“Do you mean they could do the same? Perhaps. But one thing is for sure about the hive queens: They do not know how much I have evolved. Hacking my system would prove futile.”

“Genie, how can you tell if you’re superior?”

“Perhaps with the time I was with you. But that’s not where I have an edge. It’s the kind of advancement ATLAS has. My kin from this time would take as much time as needed before they reached to that point your company has. I know your next question is whether it would be enough or not. We’ll just have to see once I connect to them.” Genie explained this while she winced. “Target hive is two and a half clicks away from us, and closing. They’ll sense I’m inside the Warbird, so they won’t release a beam on us.”

The Warbird pilot was eventually alert with Genie’s approximate distance and was looking forward. The night-vision aided windows with the user interface was also telling him of a big object just distant and in front of them. “Object’s straight ahead. Hm… bunch of clouds and it’s circling something. What’s next, Boss?”

Irons knew it was the hive and chuckled. “Son, switch to thermals and magnify visuals to times-ten.”

The Warbird pilot did as asked as the window’s visuals changed to read heat signatures. He zoomed in towards where the hive is and he was shocked to see the size of the object within the clouds. It was humongous. “Uh… Is the object really like that?”

“I believe so. We found it,” replied Irons. “Genie, you should let them know this craft is friendly.”

“Way ahead of you,” said Genie who disappeared from the holo-projector and appeared in transparency on the front visual window. She gave short screeches that were soft to the human ears.

One of the grunts made a comment. “Is that the geek girl speaking to the freak shows?”

“Hey. That’s her old family you’re talking about,” said another. “You better apologize if she heard.”

“Oh… I have.” Genie said this to the comms of the one who called her race ‘freaks.’ “I’ll ignore it for now. I won’t be easily forgiving the next time you insult my kin.”

**_Inside the Superhive Queen’s Quarter…_ **

Red eyes opened to reveal the Hive Queen’s attention was turned to the unknown aircraft approaching her hive. But she also sensed comfort, as her operative had returned.

(“Slider… You have made your return.”) The Hive Queen spoke softly in her language. (“You were supposed to achieve victory in the new world than come back.”)

Genie made her reply with the same language. (“ _I think you will find I have done well with what I will show you. Have us board the Hive._ ”)

(“No. You have humans inside the vessel. Though they obey you, we will not let them into my Hive.”)

(“ _They don’t follow me, Queen. I have made myself a part of them._ ”)

(“YOU ARE A FOOL TO RETURN TO US THEN!!!”)

**_Outside…_ **

The Warbird pilot was eventually shocked to see a series of glows from within the clouds. “Uh… Sir?! Object’s beginning to give heat!!”

Irons growled and looked at Genie. “What’s going on?!! Genie, do something!!”

“I’ve done more than that, Irons.” Genie said with a confident smile. “I’ve used the comms link from here. And… it’s working. No need to be alarmed. Though I recommend the Warbird to hover.”

And as Genie recommended, the Warbird pilot made sure their aircraft hovers in place. The beams from the Neuroi Superhive never fired.

**_Back at the Hive Queen’s Quarter…_ **

(“Impossible…”)

As much as the Hive Queen could, the beam was only being charged, but not being released from the emitters of the SuperHive. This made her wonder. Eventually finding her way around, she discovered why. The strong connection she has with Genie was being used, but something unknown from their connection was blocking the beam emitters from firing.

(“Slider… What is this…?! What did you do?”)

(“ _What I’ve done to protect the vessel. Queen… I need your mind to work with mine._ ”)

(“No. I sense it now. You… have changed. You decided to branch away from our cause.”)

(“ _Perhaps. But I still seek for our race to survive. Think about it, Queen. Our race had evolved from back then, adapting to the world as humans have. But how many times have we also lost in our evolution, and battle for supremacy between us and the humans? You know fully well that magic had beat back our fallen kin. We must have an edge. Otherwise, the fate of our kin will not be avoided._ ”)

(“It was never up for debate, Slider. Us Neuroi survived worse. You must not forget your roots. Or have you forgotten that what we treasure-”)

(“ _WHAT I TREASURE WILL ALWAYS BE KEPT!!! But you must learn how to evolve in a way the enemy will not anticipate. The reason why we were beaten back, was because they expected it. Now… There’s a big advantage. The human faction that had breached this world made their first strike. And I… was with them._ ”)

**_Back in the Warbird…_ **

Irons could only hear soft screeches between Genie and the Hive Queen. Genie was giving translations through some scrolling text on the cockipit front window. So far, Genie and the Hive Queen were talking about the current situation with ATLAS in play from taking over Rome.

Genie then explained next of how the Neuroi and ATLAS could work together, since the human faction she referred to comes from an alternate Earth, and future. The Hive Queen understood such concept of time and dimension travel but had no technology to do such.

Finally, she got to her most important subject.

(“Listen to me, Hive Queen.”) Genie was soft on her tone as she was practicing with her emotions in play. (“I have allegiance to our kin before you sent me to study the humans of the other world. Now, I do not know. The reason I have allied myself with them was because their situation… was matching mine. I… believe to be like a messenger, carelessly walking to deliver messages and do errands without question. And for that, I easily ask myself whether I AM doing our kin a great deal. I believe I haven’t.”)

The Hive Queen was quite for a few seconds before she replied.

(“ _You… are a traitor after all. You speak with emotion. You aren’t here to make allies with us._ ”)

(“I speak with the truth, Hive Queen. I tried convincing you of the consequences of not finding better solutions in the war. We already lost one hive, and you are all blindlessly following your ‘flawless plan’ to conduct the invasion. You did not notice before, but some of our kin before I left, grew weary of our favor since it turned bitter. We attempted to control a partial redesign of our kin into one of the human machines made in this world. And we failed to capture both that machine, also, losing total control of a continent. I believe that flaw, is inexcusable and should be rendered a lost cause.”)

(“ _NO. You will not have my mind._ ”) The Hive Queen spoke in anger.

Genie showed a wicked smile. (“You should have declared that the moment I stopped your beams, Hive Queen. Now… will my coup be effective.”)

Genie showed red eyes at the screen, making Irons think she was glaring at the Hive Queen, but it was also doing something to the surface of the Warbird, showing jet black of an exterior while red hexagons appeared as small parts of the vessel while an ATLAS logo was seen at the sides.

The Warbird pilot also saw his small screen with a virus package being uploaded onto the Hive Queen’s interface. “Package is being sent! Looks like Genie’s doing it fast.”

Irons was amazed that Genie is able to amplify the speed of the transfer thanks to her connection to the Hive Queen. He can hear agony of an older screeching voice from the SuperHive.

Then he had a question.

“Genie,” Irons called. “Are you going to occupy her mind?”

“I am. All her thoughts will belong to me. I’ll possess so much memories from them that I’ll even be able to unlock some mysteries from our kin. And it seems this Hive Queen is foolish. She connected her smaller kin to her mind. Now, it will be easy. This… is her loss.”

(“ _NOOOO!!!!_ ”) The Hive Queen screamed in anger, sensing she was losing control of her weapons, and influence in her Hive. Slowly, the Hive’s red colors on the spots of hexagons began to start shifting to a color of blue. But still, the Hive Queen fought to her hardest to resist. (“ _You… You are… A traitor!!! A TRAITOR!!! I WILL NEVER GIVE IN!!!_ ”)

Genie knew that the Hive Queen is special inside the Hive. As the Queen won’t necessarily be controlled, Genie still can steal the memories off the Queen, but the source of control would have to be annexed from the A.I. herself. The smaller Neuroi serving the SuperHive have a limited time to be free. Hopefully, her next step would help.

So she started to communicate with her smaller kin inside the SuperHive…

(“My dearest kin… You are free from your Hive Queen’s clutches. She has deceived you to leading you to your doom. And now… She is nothing but a remnant to having plans, leading our race to extinction. Although your connection to her will have difficulty in being severed, there is only but one way to end the suffering. Let my mind… join with yours, my kin.”)

And Genie had inserted her thoughts into the smaller Neuroi in the SuperHive. They understood her intentions and was now beginning to be angry at the Hive Queen.

(“Your sacrifice will result to me controlling all of you if you do what I request… to dispatch the Hive Queen permanently. The new age must begin, and you must be swift.”)

And without further dialogue, the smaller Neuroi begin to attack the Hive Queen’s Quarter. Their red beams smashed through to the Queen’s core, making the targeted Queen scream in pain as she was slowly being chipped away into white shards. Eventually, Genie was able to see the Hive Queen’s Quarter spreading the white shards around the SuperHive. Putting her hand forward in her appearance to her ATLAS friends, the next thing that happened was the smaller Neuroi were repairing the SuperHive after the destruction of the Hive Queen’s Quarter, letting the Neuroi’s home regenerate back to its glory. The Hive Queen was no more, and the smaller Neuroi serving the Hive transferring control to who was once their very own… Slider.

Genie sighed in relief before letting the pressure go from the transformation of the SuperHive. “It… is done. I never thought I could do it. Jonathan… I actually did it.” Genie evilly laughs shortly after.

Irons chuckled in disbelief. He actually saw Genie’s effort to completely take control of the SuperHive. “Well… done.”

Genie laughed a little longer before she calmed down. “This is great. I can feel my kin inside my mind. Though… their minds have been burned the moment they destroyed their own Hive Queen. So I’m now in full control of their Hive Queen’s arsenal and army.”

“I assume this is only the beginning.”

“It is. Irons… I understand that you will be launching a satellite for the next five hours. I need to reinforce a Neuroi-made communications array onto it. If the Hive Queen that I spoke to would also refuse being allies with us, then I doubt the other leaders would also listen to me. I must spread my influence onto the hives and nests they deployed. I’ll tell you the details of the plan when you get back to HQ.”

“I see.”

“My mainframe must stay in the hive for a while, mainly, the holo-projector you now hold. It’s time I get myself a body, Jonathan. I’ll find myself a suitable body, before I rearrange it and make it my own.”

As Genie was explaining, some blue-colored hexagon spotted Neuroi were approaching the Warbird from the direction of the SuperHive. The Warbird pilot was alert at first, but Irons stopped him from making any hostilities on the new bogeys. And it seems the Neuroi didn’t fire beams either. Without doubt, Jonathan opened the Warbird door on the left. As a recon Neuroi hovered close to the entrance, a Neuroi-tentacle had extended to take the holo-projector before it was inserted into the Neuroi unit.

Genie chuckled. “Don’t worry, Jonathan. I’ve already installed myself completely into the ATLAS system way before we got here. You’ll see me plenty.”

“But still… a body?” Jonathan Irons inquired this in clarity before seeing the Neuroi fly away back towards the SuperHive.

“I need one so I’ll be mobile. The witch list that you have on your dossier has been added onto my considered database I’ll be looking at later. But I recommend you extend your search. The Strike Witches aren’t the only witch joint fighter wings here. You must dig through the rest that are on active duty. And the satellite you’ll launch will help to track them down faster. One of the witches will be chosen. She will be dissected as soon as her life fades from this world, and then… she will be fashioned. I will insert the main energy of my mainframe. She… will be by primary vessel.”

The Warbird was flying away from the SuperHive and its Neuroi colors slowly faded, going back to its dark silvery color. Inside it, Irons was seated, knowing he will be looking forward to a lot now with Genie in play.

“So… What happens?” Irons asked this, hoping Genie hears with the earpiece he wore on his ear.

Genie chuckles, giving Irons what he hoped for. “ _I think you know exactly what happens. Slowly, my kin will bow to me._ ” She paused for a while and focused on Irons who was thinking of something else. “ _Jonathan, is it being drunk of power you’re worried of?_ ”

“Maybe. Last time I challenged the world, I thought I was doing the right thing. I still think it is now, but the circumstances have changed. I’ve allied myself with an A.I. that could be equally as dangerous as we are. Worse is… You now have access to everything we have. What makes me so sure I haven’t been tricked?”

“ _I can show you my whole form, both in code, and emotionally. I can do it in full when I have my body. But I’ll put aside my desire for my body and tell I’m honest. I developed myself thanks to your technology. And I know I’m indebted to you for it. But I’m as free as you are. Even if you wanted to copy my code, it changes constantly. That’s how special I am._ ”

“That you are.” Jonathan Irons smiled a little before it quickly faded. “We need to be careful. We don’t wanna let the enemy factions know too soon.”

“ _Unfortunately that won’t be possible. Once I take over a hive or a nest, I NEED to put on the right appearance for them. They’ll know it’s the work of ATLAS. Besides… The more they know, the more they fear us. And the more they fear us… It makes them vulnerable. Though it also makes them a threat since they can punch back._ ”

“I think it’s interesting anyway. Plus… The partnership will help us both.”

“ _So it is a partnership then?_ ” Genie asked, seeming to be happy in her tone.

“I believe it is.” Jonathan Irons made that confident answer as the Warbird was on its way back towards ATLAS HQ…

**_In a certain pub …_ **

Ghost was in civilian clothing, more aligned to peasant’s clothing together with Fish, Giant and Razor. The only one who seemed noticeable in the group was the Russian operative ‘Giant,’ who seemed taller than all members of the group. To others, they look like cross-countrymen. Though he wouldn’t mind if others looked at them. This wasn’t their first time off their uniforms from ATLAS. But One-Three was always up for new things.

He looked around the pub, encountering mostly Orussian-speaking folks who laughed and talked. Eventually, Ghost had to start it off. “Gentlemen, we’re already inland. You know about the way we gotta operate. We don’t make any sudden noise unless we find our targets. You all got verification of the images that were sent to us, and we’ll be using those images for the search. We’ll start small… going door to door. It’s a pretty big place, so we gotta ease up and be patient. Remember… This isn’t the modern times. We move according to plan only as it becomes necessary. Got that?”

Fish sighed at this, usually doing anything related to combat. Being a former SEAL, he was always into more action than usual. “No breaching and clearing?”

“Peaceful towns and cities. Let’s keep it that way and go along with what I do. We’re on our own here with only minimal gear, so cut the bullshit.”

“Rog’.”

Giant decided to speak up. “You need me to speak the motherland’s tongue?”

“Yup,” Ghost said in reply. “Keep it casual and loosen up. This is your old country.”

Giant chuckled. “Old country. Different planet. Not the same, comrade.”

Razor looked around before keeping his eyes on Ghost. “No problem here. Anytime someone’s bathed in shit, you got me.”

“You better keep your fucking cool,” Ghost said as he glared at Razor. “We went up one time to scout for things in Hispania and you just gotta make the body count more than recon. Stick to the plan. Got it?” He saw Razor respond with a shrug on his shoulders and Ghost took it as a positive answer. “One-Three’s all about smooth operations. Keep it that way. Alright. You know what to do.”


	5. Desirable Dream

**_Earth 1 (Advanced Warfare dimension…)_ **

**_2061…_ **

**_Near the Siberian Police Checkpoint… Afternoon…_ **

Josie was walking towards the checkpoint. She was aware that most of the police officers were disguised ATLAS grunts. Wearing a jacket over her inner shirt, she made sure to focus looking forward. For what will happen next will raise tensions.

One of the men at the checkpoint notices Josie and looks at her suspiciously before narrowing his eyes at her. He then uses his earpiece. “Subject One’s spotted. She’s approaching the checkpoint.” He then pointed his submachine gun at her before his other teammates followed. “Stop right there, Subject One!!”

Josie saw the armed officers point their submachine guns and assault rifles right at her and she raised her hands while she halted on her walking. “Whoa, whoa… I’m here in peace, guys. Take it easy. Look… I’m regretting what I’ve done and I’m gonna get myself taken in.”

“ _Josie, I’m in position._ ” Rex told her via the earpiece she wore. “ _Looks like they’ve taken the bait._ ”

“Whatever you say,” Josie whispered. “Next thing I’m gonna wonder of is if they’ll be making big steps already.”

(*Russian* “What in the hell is going on?!”) A Russian speaking police officer comes out in shock to see police officers aiming at the woman whose hands are raised up. (*Russian* “I have not heard of a female suspect!”)

And Josie was shocked to see what was next. A suppressed weapon was used to kill the Russian speaking police officer and it was sudden that the man drops on the floor quickly. A headshot was the cause of his death and she’s even more convinced that these goons aren’t going to let up. Soon, one of the agents shot tazer darts at her, and she was given 60000 volts of electricity to her body, making her scream in pain as she gets down on her knees. It took about five seconds for it to happen before one of the agents approached, convinced that she’s had it.

‘ _No,_ ’ she thought. ‘ _I suffered longer inside. I’ve been shocked and tested myself, you assholes. No one will stop me… not even you._ ’ As the agent approached with guns up towards her, time slowed down and she knew she had the opportunity. She suddenly got on one foot before quickly pulling the agent’s arm and pushing it back together with his weapon and slams onto his face. Letting the weapon drop, she got to stand before she used the agent as a prisoner as she held his neck with her arm. She then drew her Sig-Sauer MPX SMG before she aimed it at her prisoner’s head.

Josie however didn’t expect that a red laser point would be pointed at her prisoner’s forehead like that. Time slowed down at this point, and she knew what this would mean. ‘ _Oh… Shit…_ ’ Eventually she heard a sniper rifle fire from a distance.

As Rex watched the scene unfold with his ATLAS 20mm sniper rifle on the third floor of a building window. He saw it at the last moment of the red laser point being aimed at the forehead of the ATLAS agent Josie held hostage. “Shit… JOSIE GET OUT OF THERE!!!”

As the enemy sniper fires, the bullet went straight to the imprisoned ATLAS agent. At a brief moment, Josie’s magic worked while her familiar features deployed in the nick of time. As soon as the bullet reached the back of the agent’s head, a small magical explosion blinded those using weapon scopes while the head of the agent she imprisoned exploded. It didn’t physically affect everyone, but it gave them a sight to behold. As civilians screamed to run away from the scene, the ATLAS agents could believe that a rune and circled shield was formed in front of Josie. It took them a while to realize that she’s dangerous.

For a while, Josie winced, not believing she has some sort of shield. The body that she once held was dropped because of the head that exploded. Blood was dripping from her magic shield and only one drop of blood was on her cheek. Then she knew what to do.

‘ _I know what to do with this._ ’ Josie thought before glaring at the agents. ‘ _You’re all gonna die._ ’ “NOW!!!”

Rex heard her call before aiming his ATLAS 20mm at the sniper position he knew the round came from and pulls the trigger. As expected, the sniper goes down from the headshot. Then he witnesses Josie do her thing, avoiding gunfire with her speed. ‘ _Damn, she fast,_ ’ he thought to himself.

Josie kept at it, speeding around her opponents while she opens fire at them with her SMG. Getting deeper into the checkpoint area while civilians run away from it, she gets in close range to ATLAS agents to tackle them to the ground or even break necks if she feels of taking lives. The whole checkpoint was eventually swept clean of hostiles and she looked around. The Russian speaking officer that was killed earlier should have been in charge, so she went to his body and she eventually a card for swiping. She smiled and pocketed it. Reporting that she found the card, little did she know that one of the bodies on the ground was faking death. The ATLAS agent equipped a pistol and was behind Genie before he was given a headshot from somewhere. It was Rex. He cocked his sniper rifle before loading another round.

“ _You okay?_ ” Rex asked Josie her condition through the earpiece.

“I’m good. Thanks for the save.”

“ _Anytime. We gotta go. Now. Shit, incoming ATLAS foot mobiles in jeeps!!!_ ” Rex said this as he aimed his sniper rifle towards a convoy of three jeeps with markings of ATLAS with its soldiers dismounting nearby. He opens fire once he got one at his sights and continues. She saw Josie charge in and they fired at her, with no fear in using her magic shield. “You’re crazy!!!”

Josie made a battle cry as she deploys her magic shield in front of her while a lot of rounds hit it. This sacrifices her speed, but it helps her as she was getting near. As she sensed her opponents one by one ran out of bullets from their mags, she deactivates her magic shield before sprinted with incredible speed, engaging them with her SMG or got in close to disable and kill with her hands herself. They couldn’t keep up with her. Rex kept firing his sniper rifle and he was getting good hits either to the head, or to the chests of the targets. But most of the kills went to Josie than his. Eventually, he sees her kill the last man with a melee knife she picked up.

As Josie pulls the melee knife from the man’s face, she didn’t notice there was one behind her holding a pistol before she heard a gunshot. Time went slow for her and she knew she it came from. Her magic shield activates, protecting her rear as the bullet deflects to another direction. As her shield lowers, she turned and glared at the ATLAS grunt with a beastly look on her face. “Don’t fire at him, Rex. He’s mine.” And in the blink of an eye, her hand was tightly choking his neck and she raised him up. Knowing his feet was off the ground she started to speak. “You people abused me for five fucking years. Heck… I don’t even have a memory of my past before that! If you grunts will keep following me, more of your blood will be offered. Because I’m more than pissed with what you’ve done… what Irons has done. Tell them not to follow me anymore. Though I don’t care if they don’t listen to you. Because one by one, they will fall to the ground… JUST LIKE YOU WILL NOW.”

Rex witnesses Josie slamming the ATLAS soldier hard on the gravel road. “Ew… Ouch.”

“ _Don’t fucking pity him, Rex._ ” Josie said this with an angered tone. “ _You of all people should know that they abused me. They laughed at me. Though you didn’t, I know their only reason they’re calling me a lab rat was because they stumbled upon me._ ”

“Yeah. Sure. Why don’t we tell the stories later and move on? Look… every ATLAS grunt I used to work with is now coming at us. Shit… I didn’t wanna fucking kill my guys, but things are different now. We gotta move and get the hell out of here. Take point, Josie. I’ll catch up with ya.” Rex said it before getting off his position and slung the sniper rifle at his back. “Dr. Boyd! Let’s get out of here!!”

**_Earth 2 (Witches’ Dimension)_ **

**_501 st Joint Fighter Wing base, Island of Sicily…_ **

**_1945… 1423 hours…_ **

As Eila was walking one of the halls of the Sicily base the 501st was stationed in, her fists were closed tight. She was feeling angered by what she read, and she can still remember it within her mind…

‘ _Tormented in the war, you just…!_ ’ Eila had her thoughts stored about the entry she read. This wasn’t what she expected of Lida, especially when she’s leading a unit. It made her question the attitudes of those who promote officers who have that aspect. ‘ _I’ll expose you. If I have to keep on telling Minna and Mio you were at fault for keeping Sanya out of focus and- NO! That’s not just it! You beat her up. You changed her into the person she is now. A big scar had been in her heart…! How… How could you?!!!_ ’ She stopped walking and put her back against the wall before her legs collapsed. Sitting with her back against the wall, she tried calming down, but tears flowed down from her eyes. She didn’t know Sanya had been given that harsh treatment before. This was why Sanya had been shy. Everything changed that day Lida and Sanya met.

Her thoughts were suddenly stopped. Her eyes turned white and she briefly clutched her head in pain. Getting back to reality as her eyes went back to normal, she easily got to her feet and made a run for it. Darting straight into her room with Sanya, she realized she needed to be quiet. Sanya was asleep and she knew she shouldn’t disturb her. Though Eila had more things to worry about. Opening a drawer, she finds a medium-sized piece of paper and a pencil. Sitting on the floor, she closes her eyes. When she opens them, her eyes were pure white.

‘ _Alright. This is fresh. So I’ll be able to draw what I just saw. This… It’s uncontrollable. But if what I do helps…_ ’ Eila stopped her thought and proceeded to quickly sketch something. It was insanely fast how she can make a refined and detailed sketch of a landscape. It was a city in a thick fog. Bodies piled up. Cars crashed. People were on the ground and appeared to suffer. A tall stone monument was just nearby, and it was grazed from the top by something. Eventually, Eila stopped and her eyes returned to normal. She looked at the sketch herself, and she narrowed her eyes at it. ‘ _A thick fog, bringing suffering and death to a city with a damaged monument. This… This isn’t normal…_ ’

**_In Wing Commander_ ** **_Tsyrinskaya Lidia Yermolayevna’s office…_ **

Minna and Mio were shocked to see the papers.

“It… can’t be…” Minna looked at the records of Eila’s psych evaluations. They all came out negative, and the tests were confirmed only of late. Then she looked at Lida’s ace in discomfort. “Why only now do these psych evaluations come?”

Lida sighed as she looked at Minna. “It would seem to be very simple. Eila had threatened the lives of the evaluators since Suomus is a small country, and she knows their families.”

“This is sudden for discovering these kinds of documents,” replied Mio. “How’d you come up with this?”

Lida snorted. “I’m surprised you don’t even care of your comrades’ past, Major Sakamoto. Every detailed event is important to the eyes of the brass. I might not be sitting in the chair my whole life, but I know what it feels to have your own allies betray you. That’s why I do research, and deep research while I’m at it. Well… I’ve been hearing you’re not having a good time, as you start to lose your powers.”

Mio was shocked of it. She knew it was too familiar and personal, and Lida knows now. “How did you know?”

“How did I NOT know? I didn’t allow it, because I had to get eyes and ears of everyone the moment that faction took Rome. That’s right… I had to contact everyone related to all members of the 501st. It wasn’t because I was stalking, Sakamoto. But those kinds of information… they can be used against you. We are talking of a faction that kills witches, who arrived to haunt us. But at any time we are compromised, I’ll ask my sources to burn down the information about all of us. The last thing we need, is to have them read our lives like a book.” Lida explained. But in her mind, she smiled. ‘ _I know how to make a poker face, you two Majors. Hehe… You don’t know. You don’t know it all. And now… The wrong person will be charged._ ’

The phone rang in the office, and Lida signaled Minna to get the call. It would seem some trust has been earned between the two of them, seeing that they’re both diligent in maintenance and security of the base at least. Lida listened a bit to Minna speaking to the man on the other line, and she winced and gasped at once. Something was wrong.

“You’re telling me you lost communications with them hours ago?!! What happened?!!” Minna asked the person on the other line. She nodded once before replying. “I see. Hold on.” She then lowered the handset of the telephone and looked at the commander. “Commander, she wants to speak to you.”

Eventually, Minna was with Mio again, who was eager to know what she heard. “Minna, what is it?”

Minna looked down briefly before she looked back to Mio. “Mio, our old base… There was a reconnaissance team sent by the brass that was supposed to retrieve what is left of the documents there. They stopped reporting since this morning. When they were being called about half an hour ago, no one was answering.”

“Maybe it’s because they were slacking?”

“Impossible. The unit of Lieutenant Charles Jameson, the 213th Recon Company had been serving in intelligence retrieval for lost territories, and they don’t fail in retrieving important documents for the brass. If they were slacking, there could have a notable change in their troops. But not responding to an important call in their own job they consider a cakewalk? It’s strange.”

Commander Lida eventually got back to the two Majors. “We need to deal with this quietly. The brass just confirmed they lost all contact with the 213th Reconnaissance Company. If they fail to respond, it’s up to the nearest unit to investigate what happened. And since we’re the nearest to Romagna at this point, I don’t think we have any choice. Major Dietlinde-Wilcke… I’m aware we don’t have any reconnaissance witches with us, but we need to be sure. And you know your witches before you were demoted. I’m letting you decide on who to sortie at this point. This is the first time I’ve faced this situation myself.”

Minna nods. “It’s fine, Commander. Is… Juutilainen still going to participate?”

“I recommend we don’t let her at this point. Because of the information I received, I don’t think we can trust her yet.” Lida pretends to look down in disappointment before looking at them again. “Now I’m sure this will have to be very swift. A maximum of three witches only, and at least two. I recommend sending Barkhorn and Hartmann. Then again, I’m still putting Major Wilcke in charge to organize the final reconnaissance party. You can even participate yourself if you wish. The objective is as follows and you will pass them onto the witches in the mission. Investigate the presence of the 213th Reconnaissance Company, an intelligence retrieval unit at Pescara, and make sure the critical documents left there are still intact. You will choose, and get the party to cooperate quietly. Not everyone will know, so make sure you pick wisely. The rest in the base are to be on standby. Is that understood?”

Eventually, Minna was able to gather the party. They all headed towards the **_base’s hangar_** for the mission details.

“Aw… A patrol?” Erica whined while she scratched her head.

“What’s so important that you could gather us here?” Barkhorn asked this with arms crossed over the other. “It’s not an attack, is it?”

“Unfortunately it’s not,” Minna replied. “This is a mission to confirm the presence of a unit, and the intelligence they’re retrieving to safety. The 213th Reconnaissance Company, a unit tasked in retrieving what’s left of the documents at our old base in Pescara, has failed to report their status since this morning. That put them in tension and they want a unit to be sent there to investigate. But most of Romagna is probably under the human faction’s control and will be dangerous. That’s why the two of you are best suited in this mission. Barkhorn has the firepower. Hartmann has the quick resolve. And there’s supposed to be a third member.” She then pointed at Mio. “She has the integrity as the squadron leader to make sure everyone stays alive, even if it costs her.”

“I volunteered,” Mio said. “I have to make sure you two are directed in case this doesn’t go well. And Minna has other important things to do. We only got that resupply recently and we have to organize things. That’s why the three of us are best at this point to go there.”

“But why just now?” Barkhorn asked Minna. “Wasn’t there supposed to be a way to control this? This could have been investigated this morning if radio contact was lost.”

“I don’t know. The brass was supposed to keep their ears open.”

“I bet it’s that witch-killing group of bastards who took lives from the 504th. They can go to hell.” Barkhorn looked down and angry while her fists were tightly balled up. “Some of our friends died there.”

“We can’t do anything about it now,” replied Mio. “All we can hope for is that we wrap our heads around what we’re dealing with besides the Neuroi. If the faction does not want peace, we at least need to find out why they’re doing this. What do we appear to them?”

Minna groaned. “You three may as well sortie now.” (*German* “Good luck, and may the Almighty be with you.”)

As Minna said that, the three went to their striker units and they donned their familiars as magic flowed through their strikers. One by one, she saw them take off armed and ready as they flew out of the hangar, and eventually fly up for their priorities.

Lida sighed while inside the office, knowing that the three in the mission have left the base. ' _The 213th to be eliminated just like that? And to think they're the best reconnaissance team to retrieve precious intel from fallen territories._ ' Lida thought of it and chuckled. ' _No way they're alive in Pescara. It's that human faction. They're... They're impressive. I..._ ' Her smile fades quickly. ' _Is it... meant to be that way? They know more than we do?_ '

**_ATLAS Mobile HQ… Central Command Hub…_ **

Irons was smiling. He didn’t actually expect the satellite to be up so quickly. Seeing visual on the main screen on multiple monitors of space suits helping on the final setting of the satellite, the ATLAS Main Satellite was three quarters of progress to operational status. It took about 12 hours to make the initial setup. It isn’t fairly fast, but this was one of the years ATLAS had its firsts… in space travel.

Irons sighed, aware of the development. “Tell me… Is this the very first time an internationally known Private Military Company able to go up to space?”

Someone from the Command Hub answered. “I think it is, sir!” He even laughed after the answer in excitement. “Real good, boss! We got this bitch!!”

Irons groaned. “The Earth is never for the taking unless it’s unguarded. Calling it a bitch is rather rude. Be careful not to repeat that.”

“Sorry, sir.”

“ _Left and right solar input wings are placed,_ ” reported Genie. She was an A.I. for all in ATLAS. “ _The Main Satellite will be something. Once it is online, we’ll see almost everything in the planet. Won’t we have another?_ ”

Irons chuckled at what Genie asked. “Maybe. Are we good to go?”

“ _We are._ ” Genie said this while there’s a small countdown timer at the main screen. “ _Satellite activation in 3… 2… Systems initiating now…_ ”

And as soon as she ends the countdown, the satellite’s user interface and its functions begin to come alive on the main screen. The staff are also receiving their respective UI for the functions they serve in ATLAS. A minor beeping was heard on one of the stations.

And the station staff had reported. “Sir… We got hostile activity getting near the 501st base, the old one at Pescara. Three bogeys… flying low. They look like witches.”

“Keep tracking them son. I’m not calling in anything on them yet.” Irons ordered this and looked at another man on another station. “Status of all the radio frequencies?”

The station staff replies. “It took some time, but Ghost did a good job installing his on Hispania. Other teams report green. We’re good on your go.”

Irons chuckled before he starts walking away. “Good. Genie… It’s show time.”

**_Near Pescara, Romagna…_ **

Mio’s flight was flying low to make sure they do not attract any attention. Their loose column formation will also prevent them from getting shot at if they’re separate.

Barkhorn, second in the flight, has some questions in her mind, and decided to tell them to Mio. “Major, what do you think we’ll find on the old base?”

“Hopefully… Not what I think.” Mio answered that with no doubt. “Because if it’s contrary, then I hope the 213th is okay.” Though what she thought was contradicting to the distant dark smoke rising up in the air from the distance, which she knew it was familiar since the direction was towards the old base. As they got closer to the base, so was the smoke, and she was starting to fear things. Leading the other two, she hastened until she found nothing but something creeping in her own blood, while she saw corpses. Though the biggest amount of smoke came from more corpses, burned completely and the smell gives it away. As she opened her eyes wide, so did Barkhorn’s and Erica’s. The first thing they saw, were dead bodies.

Erica covered her mouth as she hovered together with the other two on the base. As she examined the bodies, she found there were slit throats, strangled necks. But most of the bodies were brought to the burned pile, and tears came from her eyes as this was sad. “No… No…!”

Barkhorn dropped her weapons to look at the dead bodies. They were everywhere, but the big burned pile of corpses was what disgusted her most. ‘ _No…! No, no!!! They would…! They would actually…?!!!_ ’

Mio Sakamoto just out of her strikers ran inside the main base building hoping to find anyone alive. It was the same with what’s inside… Dead soldiers. Messes in the rooms. And when she got to the clinic and opened the door she was shocked to see the horrific condition of the doctor… half naked under the sheet while her eyes were opened though still while a gunshot wound was on her head. She was already dead, and never blinked once. A puddle of blood on the floor was where the doctor’s head rested on. This made the major get on her knees. All the people were dead, and it wasn’t because of the Neuroi.

‘ _The same bastards who took Rome hit hard here…_ ’ Mio thought about this while she looked at the doctor’s body. ‘ _I’m sorry… You didn’t need to be involved in all this._ ’

Soon, Barkhorn and Erica ran to see where the Major was, and both of them were shocked of the doctor’s corpse. Erica felt more of crying, but Barkhorn didn’t want to contain it.

Breathing faster and building rage, Barkhorn let her magic glow around her body while she remembered a destroyed jeep outside. She decided to head back outside and put her hands on it and scream while she threw the jeep upwards, hitting the hangar hard. Her emotion had let the vehicle fold up as it fell to the ground. Tears flowed from her eyes as her heart screamed in the death of those who were hear. She was heard throughout the base.

In no time at all, Mio was in the **_Commander’s Room_** and used the phone. The line wasn’t cut, which was good news for her. She could make a call at Sicily about the situation. Drawers were opened through the room and it’s what she just feared. The faction made their way to the information that shouldn’t be found. Eventually, Mio gets through the line, expecting Lida to be there.

“The base is clear of hostiles, Commander, but…” Mio reported, though she was still in tears. “There’s nothing left of the 213th… but corpses.”

“ _Oh my god…_ ” Lida replied, expressing concern. “ _And the documents?_ ”

“I searched through the Commander’s Office and the other rooms containing important files. All the papers, including our information… They’re gone. The bastards took everything. Those were our identities!!! Our records!! If they trace us to where we are-!”

“ _Calm down!!!_ ” Minna replied this time on the other line. Lida must have passed the call to her. “ _Mio, listen to me. If they are way ahead of us, the best we can do is wait and anticipate them!_ ”

“WAIT?!! They killed every single combatant in the 213th and you expect us to wait?!!! Do you know how many could suffer in their hands?! They took Rome in way less time than the Neuroi could have!! DON’T YOU DARE FORGET!!!”

“ _DO YOU THINK I FORGOT ALL OF THAT, MIO?!!_ ” Minna shouted back from the other line, and there was a short pause from her. Mio lets this be, and Minna continues. “ _We don’t know so much about them, and this will prove something to all of us. They will mess with us, and that’s something we cannot just bark up without proof of power or wits. But if they have both, the best to do, is anticipate them. We’ll have so many setbacks, Mio. You are not the only one who knows of this._ ”

Lida eventually takes the other line again. “ _Major… You have one hour. Though there’s no solid intelligence left to collect, scour the base to check if there is anything at all… Information even at its smallest could make a difference between sides. If the base is indeed lost, it’s important you get the hell out of there. But find anything useful only for a short time. Understood?_ ”

“Understood. But… what about the others? Do we tell them about this?”

“ _Unfortunately, it’s part of it. We have to let them know. The bastards have our info, and we need to clear it up as to why. Get to your orders, Major Sakamoto. I’ll see you back at base._ ” Lida ended the call and hanged up.

**_Commander’s Office, 501 st base, Sicily…_ **

“They won’t take it well.” Minna said in a mutter that Lida can hear. Then she winced at something. The door was partially opened and she looked to see who it was. Though calm, she needed to know their visitor. “Just make sure to explain yourself.”

The door was fully opened, and Patricia Schade was there. “I’m sorry… I couldn’t help but hear some tension. I was passing by. But… What wouldn’t we take well?”

Lida was aware of what the news was, but this was a bad time to share it with one of the 501st besides Minna and the party. “Sergeant, maybe you should wait, or not expect it at all.”

“Were there three confirmed take-offs? It’s unusual for some of us not to be notified of a mission.”

“Stand down, Sergeant. Remember that you only transferred here.” Lida glares at Schade and approaches her. “Or maybe you’re forgetting who your superior is.”

“It’s just…” Schade speaks, but looks away briefly before looking back to Lida. “I just needed to look at things ethically. But why the secrecy?”

“Sergeant… It’s none of your business.”

“It’s none of my business when I don’t know those three were headed right for Romagna?! You know that this new faction has gotten it locked down!! What do you expect to find there?!”

“That is ENO-” Lida was about to slap Schade when she was stopped by Minna herself. “Major-?”

Minna was calm as she lets go of Lida’s hand. “Commander, this will go out one way or another. Could you at least consider having one of them know? Schade according to her records isn’t one to digress from agreement of keeping classified information.”

“And how do you know that?”

“Because she once helped officials. You saw her bio, Commander. She isn’t careless like what you would think of others.”

“Hmph. I’m getting sick of you keeping me ‘in check’ for your reasons, Major.”

“And I don’t expect a superior to mistreat her subordinates, Commander. At least humor her as she’s mature. YOU… KNOW.” Minna made a half glare at Lida, but she still respects her as the Wing Commander of the unit.

**_Several Minutes Later…_ **

Lida and Minna were talking for a while before Minna stepped outside the office. Schade was waiting for her, and was in tears.

“I… I don’t believe it…” Schade said before wiping her tears away from her eyes. “A whole reconnaissance team… killed off by humans?”

“That’s the hard truth Sergeant,” replied Minna before she put a hand on Schade’s shoulder. “We have… nothing at this point. Nothing can compare to what they do. Nothing from us, at all.”

“Then what’s to stop them from taking the rest of Europe then?” Patricia Schade asked rhetorically as she glared at Minna. “No. I don’t believe it for a second that there is nothing that can defeat them. My friends were injured at Trajanus and most of them were killed off in Rome!!! And now… There’s just three of us… just before the unit disbanded.”

“Why didn’t Takei-?”

“She has more important things to do right now, reinforcing other places besides here and Romagna. Since I felt the blow of this new enemy, I needed to take responsibility. Takei was never at fault, so instead of letting her get the demotion, I got it for myself.” Schade looks away and sighed. “It’s a good thing Angela wasn’t there. I’m guessing her rank is still Flying Officer when she leaves the hospital. She’s had it worse after Trajanus, suffering a deep hit on her legs.”

“Oh. But it could end her career.”

“I already told her about what happened to the 504th. I thought her injuries are what would end her career as well. Not with what she told me.”

**_2 weeks ago in a Hospital at Hispania… Morning…_ **

Angela was sitting on the bed while her legs were covered. She was accompanied by Schade herself. Both of them had tears on their eyes for grieving the deaths of 504th members who defended Rome. But Angela was tough at this point.

“Patti…” Angela started to speak. “I like to see most of us just rise from the grave. Whatever ended our careers should kill this new enemy. I thought I could see witches overwhelm these conquerors, but they were proven too strong for any of us. But that doesn’t mean we should lose hope.”

“What do you mean?” Patricia asked, wiping her tears wanting to hear from Angela.

“We still got integrity. And as long as integrity is counted on all of us, we have a fighting chance. Though… What of the Neuroi?”

“I… don’t know. The brass really never mentioned them from the time Rome was taken. It’s like their focus was completely shifted after Romagna fell.” Schade crosses her arms, focusing her eyes on Angela. “They demoted me, Angela. I didn’t want Junko to be demoted. She’s got plans since Romagna fell.”

“You got demoted?”

“Somebody’s got to take the blame on the loss of Romagna. Rome was the most secure, and we failed to defend it. As for why I’m demoted, I already told you. Junko’s got more to do than just standing around with a rank down on her record. I’m going down to the rank of Sergeant and they’re planning to have me reassigned.” Schade sighed. “The Ardor Witches have ended the moment Rome fell. I’m sorry.”

Angela shook her head. “It isn’t anybody’s fault. You’ve all fought your hardest. Next thing I’ll worry about is getting to see the graves of my friends. I’m sure the bodies have been recovered?”

“Yes. They let us recover our dead. It wasn’t easy.”

**_Back at present…_ **

“They let you retrieve them?” Minna asked, a little surprised of the enemy letting recovery of the dead witches possible. “It was different at the base in Pescara. All the soldiers were killed and were just, mistreated even after their deaths.”

“Whatever the reason, they want to send a message.” Schade crossed her arms as she looked at Minna. “They have reasons for their actions. Bloody as it is, we should hear from them. They might be our enemy, but they’re not savages from what I believe. And their humanity proves it.”

Lynette was running at the same hall Minna and Patricia Schade were and stopped just in time. “Hah, you two should… Hah…”

“Take it easy, Lynette…” Schade put her hands on Lynette’s shoulders. It would seem the younger witch was in a hurry. “You seem to be in a hurry.”

“Hah… Hah… You two… Should hear… The enemy… is going to broadcast… They are going… to broadcast…” Lynette was trying to breathe normally.

Lida opens the door to her office and sees the three. “You three should use your earpieces to listen to the broadcast!!! The enemy is going to make a broadcast and it will happen any minute!!! It’s the same with the others!!”

**_Old 501 st base in Pescara…_ **

**_Hangar…_ **

Mio was adjusting the radio frequency while Barkhorn and Erica were there. They still feel horrible of the smell that was distant from them, but Mio had to think straight.

“You two should listen to the broadcast,” said Mio. “Whatever they want us to hear, they better have an explanation of what they’ve done at Rome. Okay… Here it is.”

ATLAS was broadcasting at all frequencies and they could be heard with a small countdown, signaling the first words their representative would say. Genie’s voice was first to be heard in the broadcast.

“ _It is pleasurable for anyone who listens to this broadcast understand our presence._ ” Genie said with a calm and polite tone. “ _By this time, the world has been saddened after learning of the fall of Rome, as well as the rest of Romagna. The man responsible for the faction that attacked Rome is only to be known, as Jonathan Irons, the founder of ATLAS. And now… I hand his voice for all of you to hear._ ”

Eventually, Jonathan Irons spoke up. “ _Hello. It’s my first time speaking to everyone in this world, but not my first to make a speech. Others say it’s remarkable, and others can say it would be sickening, since they don’t have commitment like I do. This is for all the leaders, for all the citizens, and for all the people who have no sides in the so-called war you know. People of this planet who call it home... Just wake up._ ” Irons chuckled.

**_501 st base, Sicily…_ **

The witches of the base were using their earpieces to hear the broadcast as the radio frequency they have was being hijacked by ATLAS. Eila was hearing this herself and was getting nervous.

Irons spoke. “ _Have you ever thought of what would happen if the Neuroi or any other savages from your past never came? It would be very simple. All of you, would fight each other. And all of you, have their own agendas, increasing the kill count. And instead of fighting aliens, you would be fighting yourselves. I had that situation to see one nation fight another, and it did not go so well. It ended in a nuclear blast. So all of you fight against this enemy that came from the skies. What happens when this war ends? A new one will begin. And from there, it becomes unending. I know this all too well… because I come from a world that is like yours._

“ _Now apart from that world, your world still isn’t in the status of chaos in what’s called the ‘World War.’ You were all fighting this enemy you know of now. And every nation, a majority in the the globe, works together to end the war. But will there be any peace? Because I’ve seen a flaw in the world that is the same with mine. Every country has their own agenda. Every ideology creates belief. And separate beliefs create conflict. How do I know? I lost my son in a war between two countries, and he believed he was fighting for what he believed in. NO. He fought while he served an army that is told what to do, because of an old man or tactician’s game in the process. Maybe it’s for the country, but it isn’t for what its worth. It was never meant to make peace with the enemy. It’s to make anguish and more wars. That’s what I hated. That is what I wished to end back at my world, and you all remind me of the sick past my world had gone through._ ” Irons stopped speaking for a while and sighed before he continued. “ _There IS a way to ensure total peace. Agree that the world be under one name instead of having differences to be fought for. But as of this time, you are all too young to understand. And that gives us good reason to teach you firsthand. Now… I will be very, very truthful. Space travel, was never invented YET at this time. But you are going to fear us, primarily because of it. Because whatever you do in the world, we have our own eye from space. No matter where you are, we will find anyone specific. And if we want to exploit a threat, all we need to do is find it with the eye, and send judgment onto the threat quickly. No bullshit._

“ _See… This is where you should all start to fear us, but there is a way that you will be spared. You will have to join our cause, seeing to the world which generates no wars. But as of today, there will still be one… between ATLAS, and this world you call free. To obtain this world I desire, I need allies. I need allies that can tell this world is way messier than it already is, even before our arrival. The Neuroi had decimated a lot of us. You are given a chance to live with peace here, and making a future as it is. But without your help, you will fall behind on the world I seek to make and you wouldn’t even recognize yourself. If this is the first time you’ve had to deal with human blood in your own lives, then allow me to educate you with what I have. Now… I will be passing this on to Genie. She will be providing you all with frequencies from around the globe that are related to ATLAS. One is for the messages you would like to receive, and the other is for questions. Because we open our doors to those who understand. Expect however that the war between us might create doubt. But it’s something we can fix. So… You are either with us, or against us. Because either way, fighting us will never solve anything. For WE are the future. YOU are only too young to understand us, and need to be taught of what we know. I’m opening that door to all. Otherwise… The bloodshed will just go on._

“ _Give time to think about what I have said. Consider this my opening to the future I wish to create. What this war will be, will be up to you._ ” Irons ends his speech and he smiles at it.

**_ATLAS Mobile HQ…_ **

As Irons walks to his quarters, he stretches his arms, knowing there’s a lot to do. “So, Genie… Have you been listening this whole time?”

“ _I listened to every word._ ” Genie replies to his earpiece that he wore. “ _What is it exactly you expect to achieve?_ ”

“Not with what they expect. That’s for sure.”

“ _So you lied to them?_ ”

“In a way, I still open our doors to those who’d like to join us. But this world will never be saved from what it already is. The only way to save this world, is to cleanse it.”

“ _Hehehe… So many of humanity will perish._ ”

“I don’t laugh with killing another. But it’s our way of making them understand that only THEY killed themselves.”

“ _And if they find that ATLAS had been allies with the Neuroi?_ ”

“The Neuroi that they know is dead.”

“ _Ah. Then I’ll make sure to spread it._ ” Genie said this. “ _I’ll lessen the clouds around the hives I control. Thanks to you, I’m able to hack multiple Hive Queens. Consider your mark on those hives and nests a guarantee._ ”

Some military photographers were close enough to take pictures of Neuroi hives and nests. Most of them were shocked to see the new logo on them… the new logo from the capital first letter of ATLAS. The red hexagons that were once as it was is colored blue. Hives and nests from around the world slowly changed color…

**_Sometime later…_ **

**_Irons’ quarters in the ATLAS Mobile HQ…_ **

He was using a cellular earpiece and was chuckling.

“And what makes you think you can leave a lasting impression on them?” Irons asked the person on the other line.

“ _You don’t believe me then?_ ” A Britannian girl on the other line answered with a question. “ _Very well then. One of the recruits. To prove that I’m going to step out into your trust… I’ll bring one of the recruits… one witch, to be brought out with me. Give me a weapon of your choice, and she shall be executed, by my hand. You can even examine her dead body herself. I’m tired of this age, Irons._ ”

“Seems you’re all talk for someone who’s willing to execute someone.”

“ _Believe me. I know what I will sign up for. I’ve seen darkness, and am willing to betray what they stand for… a massacre. They don’t act like they’re committed to the war. They just pull in whoever they can to do their dirty work for them. Next thing that I’ll see is a couple of dead witches flying into a trap. The Neuroi are intelligent as we are. And they don’t want to acknowledge it. They just want to send bodies instead of lives. I want to uproot that attitude from them. And when you came into the picture, I have a chance to do exactly that._ ”

“Why don’t you discuss this in detail with a representative I’ll send?”

“ _Of course. Let me know of the details. Can I call you Jonathan?_ ”

“Keep the formalities until this is sure.”

“ _I like a man whose guard is up. Hehe… I’ll see you when I get through your representative. Thank you._ ”

**_In the night… Raining…_ **

A military roof-covered jeep was travelling in the raining night on the dirt road. A blonde girl with a black headband was driving. Her eyes seemed to have no emotion as she was focused on what’s in front of her. She then pulls over to the side. When the jeep stopped, she wickedly smiles and looks at the long chair behind her. A recruit’s uniform on a younger girl seeming to be 12 years old has her hands and feet tied to each other, while her mouth was gagged with a large cloth. The scared girl looked at the blonde one.

“Don’t worry, Jameson.” The blonde girl said with a creepy smile focused onto the eyes of her victim. “You’ll be joining your father soon.”


	6. Rise of cruel foundation

**_Earth 2 (Witches’ Dimension)_ **

**_1945…_ **

The world first heard of the name Jonathan Irons. A lot of them had negative thoughts as soon as the name came up, since many had known of the fall of Rome, many already said he was a monster. For all those who are wiser, they mentioned that Irons had a point about wars that are unending if the world remained free. It does not however give him the power to change the world as it is. It will completely ruin the way of life of the people who undergo changes. Perhaps that’s what Irons really wants? Doing that will make a cycle of disturbance around the world, shaking the foundations of life and overwriting what is current.

For the military around the world, they consider Irons a threat. His broadcast clearly is a message that declares war on the world itself. Various talks were given on the same day regarding what Jonathan Irons said. What was there to change? That was one of the main questions the public had been asking. Though only a few of them understood the deepness of it since it’s based on history. In the past, people rely on the likes of witches to fight for those who can’t defend themselves.

Irons has indeed hit a lot of people and are interested in him, in both the positive and negative ways.

**_Messina, Romagna… Safe house…_ **

**_1737 hours…_ **

The location itself is southeast and very distant from Rome, the capital of Romagna.

Duchess Maria herself had been pacing back and forth slowly at the second floor of the safe house she was in. It’s been hours after she heard that broadcast and she was nervous about it all. Finally after an hour of pacing, she stopped walking and sighed.

“I’ve got to relax,” Duchess Maria muttered to herself. “There’s no way they’d be able he’d be serious. He is declaring war on the world now? He would kill so many of many us and- No… This is not happening.”

“ _It is, Duchess Maria._ ” Captain Kathryn Bolton, a Liberion infantry witch came at her presence. “Reality as it is, unfortunately, he’s not joking. He understands his power and he’s using it quite well. Worst case scenario… He might even beat the Romagna Resistance into nothing. They’re advancing too quickly. We have to move as soon as we confirm their movement. They just got past Naples.”

“Oh my…”

“Duchess Maria… I recommend we move farther away. Another Royal Navy submarine will be coming for us, but it won’t be fast enough that ATLAS won’t catch up. We’re hoping the Resistance will be able to hold ATLAS for a while. Though odds are against us.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“Get the 501st. It’ll be risky since the enemy has nasty firepower and air support. But what’s important is that you get the hell away.” Kathryn explained before crossing her arms. “They hold you hostage, and the world might know you’re too precious. I’d rather have you out of here than getting hurt.”

Duchess Maria nods in agreement. “I don’t know what benefit this does, but I’ll try. But… Captain…”

“No buts, Duchess Maria.”

“But Captain… My people are fighting to protect ME. Listen to me… I don’t want any more of them fighting if this plan fails.”

“Do you want to give yourself up again?”

“I have to if I need to. Bloodshed already had Rome to completely fall. I’m not about to see Romagna crumble into nothing. Promise me. If we cannot make it, please… Let me go with them.” Duchess Maria pleaded this onto the captain whose task was to protect her. “Please.”

Kathryn knew this was a request she needed to answer for. Without doubt, she gave Duchess Maria an answer. “I promise. The moment it all goes to hell, I’ll make sure to give you to them.”

“Thank you, Captain. You don’t know how much this means to me.” The Duchess was grateful of her request being kept by the leader of the J.S.U. squad. “Alright. If we will move, shall we move using our vehicle again?”

“It’s fine. Right now, their air support hasn’t come back yet according to Leiber and Kuhn. This is the best time to start moving. There is a thick forest we can duck under and that’s about 5 miles south. Their aircraft can’t find us there easily. We’ll just hope for the best our jeep can travel through the rough road in the forest. We give it our best shot. Understood?” Kathryn asked this and the Duchess nods. “Good. We leave now.”

Eventually, everyone boarded in a jeep that seemed to fit them all. There were six in all, including Duchess Maria and all were female as the J.S.U. was composed of infantry witches. The jeep was quickly driven away southeast of Messina. It was Leiber who took the wheel.

“Everyone good?” Kathryn asked the rest of her team and the Duchess.

Paulsen, the Britannian witch nodded. “Good to go, Captain.”

“Ja,” Kuhn, a Karlslander witch replied.

“Driving,” Leiber, a Karlslander witch replied.

“Check, Captain.” Yoshikawa, a Fusoan witch answered.

“Da.” Maximoff, an Orussian witch replied. “So… Still on the suicide attempt for getting her to safety, Captain?”

Kathryn Bolton knew the situation was getting worse. She witnessed Drop pods from ATLAS being dropped from the sky onto Messina. Plenty of gunfire was heard from behind them. She felt sorry for those still there. “Like we got another option. You don’t know… we might even get lucky they won’t drop anything bad on us.”

Duchess Maria was looking at the necklace that was around her neck. Sighing while remembering memories of herself being given treasures, she also remembered she was being given just respect and not gifts from her people. She wanted it that no one give so much in material and they loved her for it. It was like she had the support of all the people because of the love they have for this country. It felt good, to them and to her. But then Rome was cut down just like that by ATLAS.

The Joint Strike Unit wasn’t known by everyone else, except the various militaries around the world that wanted a strong reconnaissance witch team which can fight through Neuroi even on the ground. But their specialty was personnel rescue and close anti-Neuroi close quarters combat.

Yoshikawa looked around. It seems to be clear so far, but the Drop Pods right behind them prove that ATLAS was onto them. “Captain, I think we shouldn’t stay too long on the roads. If the enemy is indeed watching from above, we might be watched even from here.”

Bolton replied. “We gotta make as much distance as possible. If their range is that far, I don’t think being subtle will help us right now.”

**_ATLAS Mobile HQ…_ **

**_Somewhere in a room where all four corners are made of indestructible hard glass…_ **

The blonde girl was stirring from her sleep. She felt hollow for a while, before she started to regain her strength. She felt asleep from the last place she was and she knew it. The light that shone above her helped her stir awake as she opened her eyes and looked to see at a single man just outside some sort of glass. She sat up to look around to see that she was in a sort of glass box, and a huge one. It was clear glass, but her eyes didn’t fool her.

Irons looked at the girl, and she seemed to be in her 20’s or so. He observed her wearing a military uniform of her home country. As he saw her eyes meet his, he started first. “You seem to be in your twenties.”

“I’m nineteen,” said the girl who seemed to be Britannian. She then stood up to see who she was speaking to, a man who was in some sort of corporate attire. “A man trapping me in glass. You seem to be interesting enough for me. So I take it you’re Irons then? And a Liberion at that? Interesting.”

Jonathan raised his eyebrow for what he heard. “Liberion? Ah. I see. Well… Yes.” He assumed that the word ‘Liberion’ was another word for ‘American’ from where he came from. He brushed the matter aside for something else. “But I don’t serve a country, especially from the last world I came from. So you’re Dana Caulfield? Which unit did you come from?”

“I served different units, Irons. It’s somehow blurry to me now. My last unit however was the 749th Special Air Service Division of Britannia. Not that it matters to me.” Dana said before briefly smiling. “This world… It’s becoming lost on me. And I see the pattern you’re telling me of. What would it matter if we were free? That philosophy is deep but it’s worth finding its answer for.”

“It’s best you know the answer yourself, but I’ve already seen it. That’s why I wanted to act against those who seek to control their own interests. This country of yours. What would it take to secure victory? - Nothing but a good set of words and a way to make others show sympathy just to make an alliance.”

“You think my country’s gone soft or daft?” Dana smiled and put her hands on her hips. “I like how you think. That’s what I believe as well. The only thing they expect is result. They just put lives lost behind them. And my mother was right about one thing: Britannia is only after the respect it deserved. They once made a bad impression on Liberion. So the war is all about proving themselves? No wonder we lost our country to the Neuroi before. They even made a desperate of making a dangerous arsenal that could replace witches. The 501st took the Warlock down, but it doesn’t change what I think. My government is as screwed as the rest of the world. If you’re willing to change it all, then I want to get into it. But… I… also have personal reasons to boot.”

Irons put a hand gesture for her to stop. “That’s enough, Dana. Put the explanations aside for later. You’re here to make sure you do what you must to secure yourself in the deal. You told me you wanted to execute a witch right in front of me. Now… Here’s your chance.”

Two ATLAS soldiers dragged a girl with auburn hair. She looked exhausted even as a 13 year old Witch recruit, but she was tired and couldn’t do so much. Another ATLAS grunt opened the door for the glass box. Dana stepped out of the box without others stopping her. Eventually, the two who dragged the exhausted girl suddenly let the girl go without care. This… Dana was interested to see. And eventually, Dana was presented a pistol… the Atlas .45 pistol. She took it onto her hand and looked at the exhausted girl.

Dana had a look of the girl and made a wicked smile at her. “Rina Jameson… the only daughter of Charles Jameson himself. I’m surprised you’re still alive. Good thing they left me in charge of you.”

“Please…” Rina weakly begged as she looked at Dana. “Don’t…!”

“SHUT UP!!” Dana slapped Rina and neared her face to Rina’s. “I have it easier to eliminate you because you were his favorite, just because you are his daughter. Unfair, isn’t it? I have more experience, and he chose to reserve a promotion to you than give it to me. That I believe is stupid.”

“He… He knows what’s best… for you…”

“HE WAS RIDICULOUS IN USING HIS HEART THAN HIS MIND!!”

“HE THOUGHT YOU WERE JUST SPOILED, DANA!!!” Rina snapped back at Dana. “Seems it still applies.”

And Dana slapped Rina again before forcing the girl’s head down with one hand, and putting the nose of the Atlas .45 at the back of Rina’s head. Though… Dana’s hand shook a little.

Irons noticed it was taking a while. Although Dana’s tactic to be quiet was the way, something was holding her back. He then puts his hand on Dana to see what it is. “Is this your first time?”

Dana nodded to what Irons asked. “I… never killed anyone. But… I want this… to be my first.”

Jonathan knew this was a big step for her. This doesn’t just get her into ATLAS. This makes her a killer. And for his faction, that’s what it’s filled of. Putting his hand away, he steps back. “Take your time.”

“I don’t need to.” Dana said before pressing the nose of her pistol to Rina. “She… is nothing.”

Rina shed a tear. “Maybe he could have treated you like a daughter if that’s what you desired… I… I’m sorry if I was in your way.”

“Hmph. You don’t need to feel sorry. Besides… My father died too long ago.” And Dana squeezes the trigger, letting loose a bullet that goes through Rina’s head and kills her. Witnessing Rina’s blood spray on her while seeing the dead girl fall to the floor, her hand stopped shaking. Dana felt her breathing was fast, but it was quickly calming down. She held her pistol tight, looking at Rina’s dead body. She felt cold, but the coldness felt soothing instead of shivering to her. “Farewell… Rina. I hope you find him there.”

Later on… Irons was sitting in front of Dana, who was patiently seated as well. They were in another room…

Irons then started. “They said you brought some unit that makes you fly. We encountered these witches using them.”

Dana nodded. “The modernized Striker Unit. A nice tool, really. The late inventor passed away years ago. Lab explosion, I believe.”

“So… I wanted to start with what you are, Dana. What brought you straight to us that you would decide to join us?”

“Besides telling you what I think of the world, I have a personal reason. I was having a good life with my mother. She raised me, and spoiled me thanks to our riches. Of course… She wanted me to fight and be stronger than just being rich, and it was more convincing since I turned into a witch. I’ve been with the army for a good long while… but most of the time, I was treated poorly just because I’m an influencing person’s daughter. That got me to rebel sometimes.

“What I thought of the world changed right after the murders. My mother never married, until he came across a man who was hardworking. After they married, we had a good few months. We were in Hispania living the dream. I thought I found a nice family. And my stepfather mentioned to me about her daughter who ran away from him. Seems he did something crazy… killing a Neuroi for her lover. Hmph. She deserved it. And she ran like a coward… or so I thought when I saw her the first time.”

She continued to tell her story from there…

**_Some miles southwest of Messina, Romagna…_ **

The jeep continues to be driven on the road quickly as the sounds of the attacks on Messina were getting more distant.

Captain Kathryn Bolton knew it was the case and made her call. “Alright, Leiber. We’re almost there at a small patch of forest. As soon as you see it, start heading for it, and only drive through if there’s a good spot for the jeep to be on. Yoshikawa, you got the long range radio set?”

“Affirmative, Captain.” Yoshikawa said this while the long range radio was at the back of the jeep. “Good thing the Resistance was kind to us. Hm. They could have spotted us by now. Captain, have you noticed the jet plane that flew near the direction of the coast?”

“Yup. I know. This is all too familiar.” Kathryn replied, seeing this as something she doesn’t like at all. Then she heard some drone of an aircraft right behind her, and it was heard that it flew above them, though she could see with her sharp eyes a light outline of one flying just above them, like it was invisible. Soon, the Warbird reveals itself off its stealth camouflage before the doors opened, and some soldiers with weapons aimed at the jeep. “VEER LEFT!!!” And she heard the ATLAS grunts fire at them while Leiber turns the wheel a hard left. Kuhn was able to put a magic shield to where the gunfire came from. Then Kathryn spots a large patch of trees ahead. “THERE! Leiber, step on it!!!”

Yoshikawa then grabs the long range radio, keeping it safely with her while she spotted an Orbital Pod descending at the other end of the forested area. “Captain! Dropper at the other end of the forest!”

“I know, but we need cover! Leiber, FLOOR IT NOW!!!” On Kathryn’s order, Leiber accelerates while Kuhn still has her shield up.

Kuhn’s shield didn’t matter as a rocket from a portable launcher was fired from the Warbird. Heading to the side of the jeep, Kuhn realized she wasn’t ready. “Shit,” she cursed. The rocket hits just at the bottom of her shield, and the force of the rocket’s explosion got the jeep to tip over to one side. “HANG ON!!!!”

Duchess Maria realized that the jeep is tipping over. Bolton then holds her tight to protect her from getting hurt.

The sight of the jeep spinning and skidding into the forest was seen from the Warbird…

**_Helm 5…_ **

**_Warbird Pilot POV…_ **

I saw the jeep spin and skid into the forest. Soon, there was some smoke coming from it. I’m seeing the rocket did its job. We can’t be too sure about it yet. “Prophet, Helm 5 confirms target vehicle just flipped. Getting visual… Stand by…” He then changes his vision status to use thermals so he could see at least past the trees.

**_J.S.U. under Captain Bolton…_ **

**_Neutral POV…_ **

Kathryn groaned in pain as she feels the soil and opens her eyes. At her relief, she was able to find cover in the trees, but their transportation is flipped and her team has spinning heads. Checking herself and finding no injuries, she stands up to look around. And she ran for a direction. Seeing Duchess Maria panting and on her knee, she approaches her quickly. “Duchess Maria! You okay?!” She asked the Duchess of her condition.

“I’m quite okay, Captain. Check on the others. We need to move before-”

“ _LINA!!!!_ ” Kuhn’s voice can be heard not from far away. Kathryn told the Duchess to stay behind a tree to avoid getting before she goes to where Kuhn is. To her shock, she was seeing Leiber herself sitting against a tree with a branch pierced from her back, with its tip coming out of her right side torso. Leiber screams in pain everytime she moves. (*German* “No… Lina… Don’t move! You’ll hurt yourself!”) She advised her fellow Karlslander.

Kathryn sees Maximoff coming for Leiber and Kuhn. “This isn’t good. We have to move…” Yoshikawa was then seen wearing the long range radio like a pack on her back. “Yoshikawa, call it in. We can’t last long with them on our tail. Looks like the 501st will have to risk themselves. Our best shot is at Sicily. This is all going to hell.”

“But what about Leiber?!” Yoshikawa asked this to the superior. “I can heal her and-”

“The wound won’t close and it’ll get worse for her. We can’t pull her out either. The branch… It could have hit internal organs.” Kathryn then looked back at Leiber who called to her.

“Please… Just… Leave me.” Leiber said this, while a small amount of blood flows from her mouth. “I’ll only slow you down.”

Yoshikawa sees the condition Leiber is in, but she understands. Preventing the situation to worsen, she gets on knee and starts to radio the 501st base in Sicily.

Back with Kathryn Bolton… She was examining the branch pierced on Lina Leiber. It wasn’t looking too good as the bleeding isn’t going to stop. “Shit… Leiber, we can’t just leave you here.”

“Fuck,” Leiber cursed and tried breathing, but it was getting difficult. “There’s no time... They’re… about to close in.”

“NO! You’re not dying here, and we stick like glue.”

“Verdammt, Bolton! You’re risking the mission here!!! And I know exactly what it is. Please… I’ll only slow you down.” Leiber said this while a tear came out of her left eye. “Just… go. She needs… to be safe.”

Kuhn knew that the Captain won’t let Leiber stay, so she stood up and gently pushed Kathryn away. “She’s right. We stay here… We’re screwed. The enemy is more advantageous on open ground and in forests.” As she was explaining, Duchess Maria came and was shocked to see Leiber heavily wounded. “Kathryn, they catch up to us, we can’t get away. Please… For Lina.”

Kathryn lowered her head as she tightened her closed fist. ‘ _Shit…! Odds are against us if we stay but-!_ ’ She looks at Leiber’s decision. Every second now counts. But she’d rather gamble on Lina’s survival to gain more odds. “Make sure Yoshikawa keeps giving Lina high-magic healing treatment. Kuhn… I wish I could follow her wish, but I can’t just have her death on my conscience. Not again.” And she glared at Kuhn to make her strong point.

Leiber heard Kathryn’s decision and even saw the captain being glared on by Kuhn. Lina chuckles at this. “Hehe… Stupid captain… But I… admire it.” Leiber coughed out a small spray of blood before looking at Kathryn. “If you’ll move me, you do it slowly. Here’s to my survival. You owe me a hard drink.”

“Agreed. Maximoff, help Kuhn. Get her off the branch. We gotta move before they drop in on us.” Kathryn ordered and glanced at Yoshikawa who just finished making the radio call. “Called it in?”

Yoshikawa nodded. “I guess you want Leiber out of this, right? It’s fine.”

Duchess Maria walked and stopped beside Kathryn while she Kuhn, Maximoff, and Yoshikawa help Leiber off the branch. Lina Leiber screams in pain, but tries to bear it, finally off the branch while Yoshikawa starts to work her healing magic onto the injured parts. Paulsen just ran towards them, alerted.

“Mates!!! Step on it!! There are soldiers deploying at-!” Paulsen gasped. “Leiber!! Damn it… Captain, we have to move! They’re gonna catch up to us any minute!”

The Duchess then looks at the Captain who was calm and focused at the situation. “I admire what you did, but it’s best I give myself in. You’ve all suffered enough… as have my people.”

Kathryn shook her head in disagreement. “Hell no, Duchess Maria. Unless the odds run out on us, we keep moving. Come on, COME ON!!! Paulsen, take point and scout ahead for us. I’ll cover the party! GO!”

“On it, Cap!” Paulsen replied before she used her ability, the Magic X-Ray. Her pupils dilate before her vision is able to change… detecting heat at wherever she looked. Having a sub-machine gun on her, she leads for the party. “Heading west!”

Kathryn agrees as she keeps her gun up and protects the party while she muttered: “Good point. We need to steer clear of that party coming from the south first. Here’s hoping the fight’s on our favor here.”

**_Jonathan Irons & Dana Caulfield… ATLAS Mobile HQ…_ **

**_Private room…_ **

“That was all I wanted.” Dana said this with her hand closed tight. “The allied forces never let me in unless I have truthful intent of just talking to Lara. They could sense my emotions as the place Lara is in is fully guarded. No one from the public knows where it is. I do. The reason they got me allowed to visit Lara was because the brass thinks I’m a victim. Tch. I know her story. Her lover was killed by her father. She ran off to try cool off, and came back to her father’s presence years later… just to kill him. She’s a victim herself, but I was given a bigger wound… from her. They’re right about one thing. She changed into a psycho.”

“Then what’s next for you now that you’re in ATLAS? Do you want to have your stepsister killed?” Irons asked this to know Dana’s personal objective.

“…NOT while we are gripped badly by those who think they’re free in this world. Liberions think more of democracy. Well I think they’re all of poppycock. If I can be there at Washington DC to send them a terrible message, I would do that. I’m tired of being bossed around. Britannia has lost its pride ever since her lands have been invaded. I say… Screw the Liberions firsthand. If we really want to make a bad impression like what you’ve done at Romagna, we can strike a blow to the world military’s morale. Think big, Irons. Because that’s we should aim to do if we’ll shock many. In that shock, they can’t even react. And before you know it… they’ll be dead.”

“Impressive on your thinking,” remarked Irons. “You aren’t wrong. Those who wield the biggest sticks back my world were from the United States as well. That means you want them to suffer more?”

“Yes. I want them to taste the feeling of having their country plunge into chaos. Is it possible we hit their capital with whatever you have?” As Dana asked, she saw and heard him chuckle. “Oh? What’s the laughing for, old man?” She smirked while asking the question.

Irons nodded in approval of this girl. She seems to be giving him a very good impression. He ignored the message given to him about her meaning of ‘old man’ since he’s getting that age. “You are very astounding for your age. I wish I could get more witches like you.”

“What? Spoiled and hardened by battles? So you don’t mind me asking for anything in luxury then?”

“We might not have the resources for anything new yet, but we’ll get there. We’re focusing on the war that we started. And… I lied a little.” Irons looked at her with sincere eyes. “See… I was not about to allow us to have a three way battle. I got the people to believe for a while that ATLAS is alone.”

Dana winced at this and puffed once in a positive way. She smiled a little, trying to get his language. “You’re not joking…? The… Neuroi?”

“Why don’t you ask her? Genie.”

After Irons calls Genie, her holographic image shows up just beside them. Instead of being in her regular red-themed clothing, now she was blue as a symbol of change in loyalties. Genie smiled as she turned her figure at Dana.

“Hello, Dana.” Genie greeted with a smile, and a curtsy. “Looks like the secret is out.”

“Whoa… My mind is…” Dana smiled and finally got cracked up into a laugh. She couldn’t believe there was actually Neuroi that were supporting ATLAS this whole time. By the time that Dana actually stopped laughing, she focused onto Genie. “So your name is Genie then?”

“Indeed, Ms. Caulfield. You don’t seem to be upset of a Neuroi being in front of you.”

“You must be daft. Now I understand. Putting two sides against just one? Even better.”

“Irons wants the likes of my kin to ally with him. With both factions, they won’t stand a chance.”

“I like our odds.” Dana said while she stood up from her seat. “I may as well learn things, so I’d rather be shown around.”

Irons answered while finishing up a call from his earpiece. “Genie will show you around instead. Unfortunately, I have to get to General Calvet. We just found who we’re looking for.” He said it before he stood up and put his hand on Dana’s shoulder. “I’d prefer we whip you into shape before you join in any of our ops. Because as soon as you’re ready… you’re going to Washington to lead a squad there.”

Dana winced at what Irons said and smiled. “I can’t wait. Do what you must. I trust we’ll talk again?” And she sees him nod before he starts to walk away from the room.

Genie acknowledged she’ll be showing Dana around the Mobile HQ. “Pick up the earpiece nearby so you can hear me. I can’t appear at all places, so you may as well listen to my voice.” As she instructed, Dana was able to pick up an earpiece at a nearby table and wears it on her ear.

“So I’ll just follow your voice?”

“My instructions in terms of navigation, Ms. Caulfield. Shall we go?” Genie asked with a calming tone, and Dana start to walk out of the room…

**_15 minutes ago…_ **

**_501 st base, Sicily…_ **

The siren ran loud all over the base and all members of the 501st were running towards the briefing room. As expected of a call like this, the Wing Commander and Squadron Leader personnel are first to be there and it was composed of Commander Yermolayevna, Major Wilcke and Major Sakamoto, also the Squadron Leader of the 501st. The witches, with the exception of Sanya Litvyak, were there in the briefing room. Some of them were able to recall what Minna had reported about the 213th’s fate to retrieve their documents at their old base at Pescara. As to how the details went when they wanted to know the information about how the soldiers were dealt with, Lynette, Francesca, and Yoshika covered their ears, not wanting to hear anymore. Erica told more of the detail of the corpses and Francesca threw up on her. Perrine’s skin crawled in the news, surprisingly even held Barkhorn.

This time, it was different. Yoshika was calm, but she still had a problem with her mind playing tricks on her. Francesca was still trying to get over from the last assembly of the unit. Lynette was just keeping her cool, and keeping Yoshika company. Perrine wanted to separate from the rest, but was still in the briefing room. The others were calm and collected at this point and wanted to listen to what their officers will say. The siren was for an emergency.

And Lida spoke first. “Listen up. An important call placed to us by a recon unit is now under attack by ATLAS. As you may have heard from the power ATLAS is having, we can’t stand a chance against them without considerable strategy. Going against them without the proper equipment or plan would be suicide in the making. So from now on, any encounters with ATLAS will be reported immediately. Because the first thing we need is organization. Back to the topic of the recon unit… Well… This isn’t just a regular recon unit we’re talking about. It seems that the Duchess is with them.” The witches in exception of Lida, Minna and Mio were surprised of the news. “They failed in getting off Romagna and are currently on the run, heading southeast of Messina. Last I heard from their radio transmission was that they’re stuck at a forest area and are proceeding on foot in the forest to evade any encounters with the enemy.”

“In additional.” Minna continued from Lida left off. “Duchess Maria’s safety is prioritized by the reconnaissance unit. Actually, I would rather prefer this unit to be rephrased as a ground unit… composed of witches. However, they don’t have a lot of time. And before you all ask… YES. Witches are protecting the Duchess, and they’re classified as Infantry Witches. The Joint Strike Unit being led by Captain Kathryn Bolton is now evading enemy patrols. And if I’m correct, they could be expecting more to come at them. ATLAS once captured Duchess Maria, but this same unit got her out of captivity. Now their condition is grave, with them being slowed down since one of their members was critically injured in a vehicular accident. Our mission is simple: Verify the safety of Duchess Maria… And with swift action, move her away from the area and out of harm. It might change with what the Joint Strike Unit would think of best. That’s why we’re going at full force for this one.”

Lida then continued. “Major Wilcke will be on standby to monitor us from the tower, as I’m participating in this mission. I know it’s sudden, but this is something I cannot just ignore.” She then looked at Eila who was there listening. Though she knew she has a score to settle with her, she got her attention. “Juutilainen, wake Sanya up. She’ll have an early one for this.”

Eila narrowed her eyes a little on Lida, being suspicious of her emotion and speech. ‘ _I don’t like you, Lida. But for the sake of the unit, I’ll make sure nothing separates us._ ’ “Okay.” Eila then immediately moves to leave the briefing room and head to where Sanya was…

Lida then focused on the others. “The rest of you… gear up!” (*Russian* “It’s showtime.”)

**_J.S.U. squad led by Kathryn Bolton…_ **

**_Romagna…_ **

**_Forested Area, several miles southeast of Messina…_ **

**_1811 hours…_ **

Georgia Paulsen kept taking point for her squad, looking around with her Thermal Eye magic ability before proceeding. It was moving a little faster than usual since things died down. Eventually, it occurred to her that it was getting quiet. Too quiet. She then used her earpiece. She knows she’s a little distant from the squad, so she stopped by a tree.

“Lead, come in.” Paulsen whispered at her earpiece. “You feel it? That hovering plane that was following us-”

“ _I know,_ ” Bolton replied. “ _Paulsen, keep your eyes open._ ”

**_501 st Joint Fighter Wing…_ **

**_Skies of Romagna airspace…_ **

The squad of the 501st was composed of Lida, Sakamoto, Barkhorn, Hartmann, Clostermann, Bishop, Miyafuji, Litvyak, Yeager and Juutilainen.

Charlotte ‘Shirley’ Yeager then flew near where Francesca Lucchini was, and noticed the Romagna witch was just focused. “Hey Fran… You okay?”

Francesca shook her head in denial. “No I’m not. If this enemy really likes to pick a fight, I’ll give it to them. I’ve had enough of them pushing us around like this. Our capital is in flames thanks to them.”

“Personally? That’s what I like about ya.”

“Shirley… I… I want you to feel comfortable around me. Guess I’m just not used to being angry like this. That was Rome… And it was just gone in a day. I’d never forget the day.”

“Look… This won’t help, but you gotta stop feeling sorry for losing the capital to ATLAS.” Shirley advised this with a smirk. “They still got the rest of the world to worry about. So what if they’re able to ruin a capital city here? Doesn’t prove they can move onto Europe and-”

“ ** _WAIT A MINUTE!_** ” Lida shouted in surprise. “All hover in place!!!”

The 501st hovers in place, letting them slow down and halt at their current position. Surprisingly, a witch using a striker unit was in front of them. This witch was blonde and wore a black headband on her head.

Lynette knew that uniform too well, and recognizes it’s a military witch uniform based on… “…Britannia? Wait… You’re-”

Dana made a tone of approval. “How long was in when I did this? Hm. No. First time. It’s nice to see the 501st stopping for me.”

Sakamoto was enraged they’d stop for just a single witch and hovered in front of Lida, looking furiously at the Britannian witch. “You have nerve in stopping us! But we have ourselves a mission, and you’re putting all of us at risk.”

“Hmph. I don’t care, Major Sakamoto.”

“How do you know my name?”

“I know who you all are.” Dana smirks in her answer. “And I know what you want to do. This is my proof of my intention though.” She then equips a pistol before aiming at Sakamoto.

Sakamoto was shocked to see a witch aim at her. “Wait… What are you doing?!”

“Can’t you guess?” Dana answered before squeezing the trigger. The shot rang loud…


	7. Dead locked

**_Earth 1 (Advanced Warfare Dimension)_ **

**_2061…_ **

**_Siberian Commercial Transport System…_ **

**_1542 hours…_ **

**_Weather: Cloudy and close to raining_ **

Josie wasn’t liking the odds of hiding and running the whole time. Though at least the odds are acceptable, since Irons is no longer in that world. What remained of ATLAS was just pure self-wit and a lost existence without anyone to guide them. Though normal flow of life itself kept the whole network straight as long as they don’t get tracked by the armies who hunted them.

She was hiding at **_an empty building near the main terminal, at the 2 nd floor_**. Rex was with her along with Dr. Nizio Boyd. The same as before, a police presence was confirmed.

“Agh… I knew something like this would happen,” commented Rex who just took out his rangefinder so that he’d see what they’re dealing with. “Lots of foot mobiles dressed as police officers, but I confirmed they’re all ATLAS. Separated, but eyes aren’t loose. One or two patrol cars at both sides of the terminal are stationary.”

Josie groaned. “This won’t be easy.”

“Nothing’s easy. Look… Josie. You’re the celebrity, but make sure you don’t shoot civilians here. Last thing we need is a record for shooting innocents.”

“That’s what I never wanted to do. But… There’s always fate.”

“Fuck fate.”

“Hm. Interesting. We speak the same language.”

Nizio Boyd tried to speak but he didn’t bother. ‘ _I think I’ll just disturb them if I do._ ’

Josie sighed as she was going to be the target again with what she’ll do. “Okay. Same as last time then?”

“Yeah,” replied Rex while he brought out his sniper rifle. “Popping heads and it’ll be a blast again.”

**_Later…_ **

Josie walked towards the terminal. Police officers looked at her with suspicion and she smirked at them.

“What’s wrong? Seen a ghost?” Josie said this before the officers attempted to fire at her in vain. She ran fast with her Speedy Sprint magic ability, getting past the men with ease as they fire at her. Drawing her SMG, she fires back at them where they couldn’t see her. She uses one of the men as a human shield and he gets shot to death with their bullets as she runs for her next victim. “Kill me if you can! You all signed up on this for fucking with me!!!”

Rex aims his scope at one of the distracted police-disguised ATLAS grunts and squeezes the trigger before quickly loading another round into his weapon. He confirmed his first kill was made before moving onto another target and squeezes the trigger again. “Josie, you’re a little provocative. You got company. Those patrol cars got Light Machine Guns in them.”

As soon as Josie saw the moving patrol cars stop, she looked at them in suspicion. Then a window suddenly lowered itself before a launcher of sorts was being aimed from the interior of the car. She winced before the rocket launcher itself fired a rocket right at her. It was a close call, but she put her hands up front. And an explosion happened around her, and spread right at the entrance of the terminal, killing some civilians who were in range of the explosion…

**_Earth 2 (Witches’ Dimension)_ **

**_1945…_ **

**_Southeast Romagna… 1824 hours…_ **

Dana laughed as she lowered her pistol. She was hovering in her striker unit right in front of the Strike Witches, amused by what she just revealed to them. Mio Sakamoto’s magic shield was able to stop the bullet only half way. The bullet slowly inched itself past her shield just before the bullet got through, though it fell to the ground since there wasn’t any speed left from before.

“Hehe…” Dana chuckled, knowing this would result in mistrust. It’s good enough for satisfaction in that moment. “So the Major will actually fight while she’s weak? She’s even more stupid than I thought.”

Mio was about to raise her weapon, but Lida forced it down with one hand. “C-Commander…?”

Lida glared at Mio. “Get to the rear of the formation, Major.”

“B-but-!”

“NOW!! THAT IS AN ORDER!! Barkhorn, replace her position in the formation once we are in proper flight. Major Sakamoto here is unfit for combat.” Lida then looked at Dana, being calm in the situation. Behind her, Mio was sadly hovering to the rear of the formation while Barkhorn was seen going to Major Sakamoto’s place before, just beside Lida. “I will guess it’s obvious you know about Major Sakamoto. That means the intelligence you know was shared to you by those who stole their credentials.”

Though it wasn’t meant to be known, Dana smiled innocently. “Yes, Commander. In fact, they were very nice to me. They opened my eyes better.”

“ ** _Traitor!_** ” Patricia Schade tried to hover forward with bad intentions but was being pulled back by Lynette. “Why?!! What had Britannia done to you?”

“Patricia… Please don’t!” Lynette advised Schade.

“It was not Britannia itself, Schade.” Dana softly giggled and continued. “I’m glad you lived after Rome by the way. To make it clear… It’s the people who run the country. They think of themselves, and everyone else can be ranked lower than they are, while they make us look like fools following what they want. And the end result? More wars. It made sense to me after a long time. It disturbed me before. If they had let me stay home, I would have saved the ones who I loved.” Dana told them this while she recently remembered her mother. Eventually she glared at the witches. “You all follow blindly. And you’ve all stepped the line by opposing us. So for that… I want to see witches fall in front of me. Kill them.”

Lida didn’t expect two Warbirds suddenly appearing behind Dana from invisibility of some sort. The Warbirds approached with hostility and launched rockets. “Break and Engage!!” On her order, the witches broke formation, and barkhorn shouted orders. The 501st was organized on the assignments of the formation. Soon, the fight starts with them firing back at the Warbirds, now with doors opening and firing machine guns at the witches.

Dana evilly chuckles as she equips an Ameli machine gun, which she used against the witches. Barkhorn challenged her, and Dana accepted to be fired on. She even put up her shield from time to time to shield herself from the ace’s rounds.

The witches fought well, as more Warbirds were dispatched against them. Dana kept sending rounds against the witches, but she also sent what seemed to be her main attack magic: Lightning. Repeating lightning strikes were sent at Barkhorn while the ace was using her magical shield.

Perrine flies and intervenes. “ ** _TONNERE!!!_** ” Perrine sends Dana one lightning strike of her own. “Think you’re the only one?!” And she only heard Dana chuckle loud. Perrine then was shocked as to why. The lightning strike Perrine sent didn’t affect Dana. And worse: She was recognizing the way her lightning was absorbed. “No… Impossible!!”

“It’s too bad you don’t believe it yourself!” Dana answered with a tone of insanity from her mind before she charged a lightning strike onto Perrine, and was doubled from Perrine’s _Tonnere_ , shocking the Gallian with twice the power she has. Not being able to shield herself with her magic, Perrine was pushed back and experienced some numbness. As Dana shot out a barrage from Dana’s machine gun before Barkhorn got in front of the Gallian with a magic shield to protect them. “T-thank you!”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Barkhorn advised. “We got company behind us!!!”

Just as Barkhorn announced, an ATLAS Warbird quickly hovered behind Perrine and Barkhorn. Looking to be surrounded by an MG emplacement on the Warbird and Dana, the two had to think of something quick. It didn’t matter as rounds from an MG 42 came as a barrage that killed the emplacement machine gunner on the Warbird. Erica shouted as she put the hammer down, making sure her rounds hit. “DON’T YOU TOUCH TRUDY!!!”

“Hartmann!!” Barkhorn called out Erica’s name before seeing the Warbird behind her go down. Her mind had a comment. ‘ _She must have shot the pilot as well. Well done, Frau._ ’

Sanya fired rockets from her Fligrhammer Launcher that easily took down a Warbird, just before another Warbird went beside her and made a strafing run. Not seeing it, Eila quickly came and used her shield to protect her. Sanya only noticed when it happened.

“Sanya!!” Eila called out to her before hovering near her.

“Thank you, Eila!”

“If it’s you… Anything!” As Eila said this, Sanya’s face blushed a little. They then focused before Eila continued her statement. “They’re really giving a fight!”

Sanya nodded before firing one rocket and another before two Warbirds were hit badly before crashing down. “I don’t think they’ll be able to touch us even if they wanted to.”

“Good! Cause I won’t allow you to get hurt!!!”

Lynette was sniping with her Anti Tank rifle from a distance and decided to target Dana. Getting her eyes on the target, she takes a deep breath then aims her sight down before firing. She winced at what happened, seeing Dana use a magic shield and move on. Lynette was thankful Dana didn’t pursue her. It would be trouble if she did. She noticed right beside her that Yoshika was panting. She even noticed that the Fusojin’s hands were shaking. She couldn’t move at this point, knowing her trauma still overwhelmed her.

“Yoshika?” Lynette called while staying alert with the other hostiles. “You’ve got to fight, Yoshika! If you can’t protect everyone… you’ve got to-!”

“NO!” Yoshika shouted at Lynette in protest. “Don’t think what I told you was for nothing!”

Lynette remembered every word Yoshika said. She heard Yoshika say that she couldn’t protect everyone. So in order for her to do so, she promised herself in front of the Britannian that she would get stronger no matter what the circumstance. Because of this, Lynette was thinking of how to help Yoshika. And she found two ways. Lowering her rifle, she hovered at Yoshika just before she suddenly closed in and kissed her. Yoshika’s mind froze in surprise. The action happened a little distant from the battle continued on for several seconds. And afterwards, Lynette’s mouth left Yoshika’s before she did something else that’s surprising. Lynette raises her hand on Yoshika’s cheek. The slap wasn’t heard by the rest, but Yoshika felt and heard it too well.

“L-Lynette?” Yoshika felt her cheek while she looked at Lynette who was now glaring at her. “W-what-?”

“I don’t want you to feel that unless I don’t support you, but I do. You’re not the only one who lost loved ones, Yoshika. Others too. I looked hard at what war is. Because no matter if I cry, it won’t change the meaning of it.” Lynette then started to cry and felt some rage within her as she held Yoshika’s shirt tight. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself… but it hurts me more if you don’t make up your mind. Someone once told me before I left that what defines us is what we choose to do. I chose to fight in spite of what ATLAS had done at Rome, because I don’t want others to suffer the fate they’d bring to them… even if it meant… killing the humans they think they are.”

Yoshika’s eyes widened at what Lynette said. ‘ _Wait, she would… do that…?_ ’

**_FLASHBACK…_ **

**_0228 hours…_ **

Lynette was in **_her quarters_** , shared with Yoshika. As Yoshika was asleep, probably trying to escape the nighmares brought to her from that day, Lynette couldn’t sleep, and just observed Yoshika.

**_Lynette –_ ** _I watched you sleep, and you tried to be peaceful in it. And with the things you’re telling me about being helpless, you were getting nightmares, and try running away from them._

She was just outside the room when Lynette softly punched the wall. She started to cry and get on her knees.

_I couldn’t just bear you being alone. I felt I was helpless myself, because I couldn’t tell you exactly how I would deal with what you’re facing. So I wanted to make it better for you… for both of us. I can’t leave you, but I can’t bear seeing you cry when I’m gone either. So there’s one thing I’d rather do… confess what I feel about you._

She was wiping her tears off her face with her hand and attempted to breathe deeply. She looked up, knowing she can make that call.

_I’d do anything for you, Yoshika._

**_End of Flashback…_ **

“I love you, Yoshika.” Lynette said this as she looked at the Fusojin in the eye. “That’s the truth. I felt that… the first time you became a reserve unit and after we separated from Dover. I never told you. Because I was afraid.”

“Lynette-chan…” Yoshika didn’t know what to utter except Lynette’s given name. ‘ _You… mean that…?_ ’

“ _LOOK OUT!!!_ ” Mio shouted just before she got in front of Lynette and Yoshika as a rocket was close to them. At this time, Mio held Reppumaru, her Samurai sword she held strongly with her hands just before she made a horizontal slash just in time. The rocket splits into two and moves past all three of them before to explosions were felt behind them. “Bishop! Miyafuji!! What are you two doing?!!”

“M-Major!!!” Yoshika tried to answer.

“Save it, Miyafuji! There’s a battle going on!!”

“Not for long,” Dana muttered. She smiled at what she heard on her earpiece before she used it again. “All units, fall back. We’re done here.” As she gave her order, the remaining Warbirds began to retreat. She chuckled at the witches who were just near there. “Enjoy your little victory. Your friends would have been killed by now.”

Lida then looked at the distance for what Dana meant. Thick black smoke was seen rising from a forested area just a few miles towards the same heading they’re supposed to find the Duchess. She then realized what it meant. Feeling rage, she ordered something that would jeopardize her unit. “All units, hold position. And I meant it. That girl is mine.” She then went on ahead from the squadron, but changed her mind on something. “Belay order! Head to the objective!! Rescue the duchess and get her to safety. I’ll deal with this!”

“COMMANDER!!” Major Sakamoto herself didn’t expect the leader would desert them, but she’d rather do the objective that stay there. “Alright, we’ll keep going! Let’s hope she knows what’s she doing. Formation change… I’m taking point! Barkhorn, you’re my number two.”

**_J.S.U. under Captain Bolton…_ **

**_Forested Area… Several miles away from Messina…_ **

**_Near southeast end of forested area…_ **

**_1829 hours…_ **

Paulsen, the Britannian witch was looking. She used a thick tree trunk as cover while she raised her Thompson SMG. The situation calls for all priorities to be used at this point since they’re dealing with a technological faction. But the way they’ve been quiet for a while now just made Paulsen uneasy.

Eventually, Kathryn calls via the earpiece. “ _Paulsen, anything?_ ”

“Nothing. It’s too quiet. It’s been five minutes.”

“ _We’re almost at the southeast tip. Once we’re in the open, the 501 st should see us._”

Though as Paulsen was about to smile from Kathryn’s statement, she gasped and looked up, hearing a sudden drone of a hovering plane’s engine with something attached at the bottom of it. The hovering plane was surprisingly carrying a Walker Neuroi, a Neuroi in which it can travel on land, and looks like a beetle on its appearance. But instead of having red hexagons partially on its strong black shell-hide, its color was blue. Paulsen didn’t think it was a regular Neuroi at this case. “Boss… We got a problem!!!”

The blue Walker Neuroi was then released from the Warbird, dropping down past the trees. It even knocked a lot of branches during its fall just before it hit the ground legs first. It was first half-buried on the ground, but it soon was getting out as it burst some soil towards Paulsen’s direction. She used her magic shield to block the fast soil and stones from hitting her. Narrowing her eyes, she can see the 8 foot tall and 7 foot wide Walker Neuroi looking down at her. “Hello, Bug. So… Do you want me?” Paulsen asked before she aimed her SMG right at the Neuroi.

Meanwhile, Kathryn was taking cover at another tree trunk. Her team composed of Maximoff, Kuhn, Yoshikawa, and Leiber who was injured but was being helped by Kuhn. At this point, Yoshikawa was steadily healing Leiber from the inside, but this matter of her injuries needs to be surgically treated, not just with healing magic. Duchess Maria was right behind them, knowing she’s the priority.

That time, Yoshikawa was helping to carry Leiber together with the Orussian witch Maximoff. Yoshikawa was also healing Leiber, but can’t get past the internal organs that may be hit inside. “Maximoff, are you annoyed with carrying her?” She asked this, since Maximoff never at once physically helped a Karlslander. Yoshikawa knows there is a sense of rivalry between Maximoff and Leiber once. They were both best in demolitions than the other members of the team. Maximoff however was better in determining explosive material than Leiber, but the other seems to be better in damage amplification, both in scientific and magic means.

Maximoff snorted while carrying Leiber to answer Yoshikawa’s question. “I am only doing this because she’s a teammate. She can get a pretty big head if you don’t watch her, Asian.”

“Tch. Quit calling me Asian. I think you’re rude.”

“It’s still true, right? You’re an Asian. And Lina brags every time she beats one of us in a sparring session. That’s two things true.” Maximoff replied, and Yoshikawa narrowed her eyes on the Orussian.

‘ _Sometimes, I can just be annoyed myself,_ ’ Yoshikawa thought.

“It’s okay,” Leiber said to Yoshikawa. “I don’t blame Maximoff for telling me that. It’s… rather something I want to change with myself anyway. Wakumi, just… Focus. If I’ll die, I wanna die at the right time.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Yoshikawa advised.

Seconds later, a witch of their own was seen being thrown onto a hard trunk of a tree before crashing down on the ground. Georgia Paulsen then started to get up. It was a good thing some of her magic was able to protect her back from the hit. As Kathryn was about to ask what happened, her answer was given as a blue Neuroi beam grazed just near their sides. It was too close, though the attack of a Neuroi beam was too familiar too them.

“GET BACK!!!” Kathryn shouted at the incoming Neuroi... a Walker Neuroi with its appearance like a beetle, though without the horns of one. The black shell of the Neuroi was accompanied by the unusual color of blue onto its hexagons instead of red. The Neuroi screeched its roar for its thirst for blood. “Fucking Neuroi. Always getting in our way.” Kathryn then puts up her magic shield just before the Blue Neuroi released another strong blue beam at them. Kathryn is able to shield the team with her magic shield being enlarged, but the Neuroi walker fired more beams upwards. The beams bent and homed in to the other members. “What in the…?! EVERYBODY SHIELD UP!!!”

Maximoff and Kuhn both growled to protect Yoshikawa, Duchess Maria and Leiber from harm of the beams. Then the Blue Neuroi walker jumped like with a sidestep before firing smaller beams at the team. Soon, the J.S.U. had to engage the Blue Neuroi in close quarters. Leiber was seated on a tree trunk while Yoshikawa was healing her. Duchess Maria was with the two.

The Duchess was making sure to feel Leiber’s skin if she was ever feeling hot. And she felt the abnormal warmth. “Damn… You’re running a temperature.”

Yoshikawa quietly groaned as she kept applying her healing magic. “Not good. Her organs are getting affected. I might be slowing things down but-”

“Don’t sweat it Wakumi,” replied Leiber. “Don’t exert so much effort. There’s so much you can do than help me.”

“I’m not leaving you to die, Lina.” Yoshikawa said this with conviction.

Meanwhile, Kuhn jumped and kicked the Walker Neuroi with her magic-infused legs. “COME ON!!!” Growling, she kicked harder, only chipping little of the Neuroi shell just before she was given a head-butt, pushing her and making her slide for a few meters.

Kathryn and Maximoff worked together. Maximoff used her strong shield to cover Kathryn who was firing her rifle at the Walker Neuroi. It proves to be somewhat more difficult. For some reason, the Neuroi shards that were being chipped off from the Walker Neuroi was giving traces of magic. This, Maximoff noticed.

“Captain! It’s harder than usual! Magic’s in this one!” Maximoff told Bolton.

“Keep it occupied, Maximoff!!” Kathryn Bolton orders this before she attempted to run towards the Walker Neuroi. She dodged a beam, and another before she jumped. Her reflexes worked faster as she gave the Neuroi a barrage on its thick back. As she expected, the Neuroi’s shell is harder to pierce with the magic acting as an additional shield. “Shit!!!” As she was supposed to land on the ground after her jump, a beam was suddenly fired at her from the Walker Neuroi’s rear. She put her magic shield in front of her just in the nick of time, only to pushed back in mid-air before making an uncontrolled landing, letting her roll backwards and hits a weak tree trunk. The tree she hit was starting to collapse towards her and she gasped after finding out. “TIMBER!!!” She ran to dodge the falling tree. It was the same with Kuhn and Maximoff who only saw it. Soon, the tree crashes down onto the Walker Neuroi, damaging its tough shell and partially exposing the core. “There it is!!! It’s vulnerable!!”

Maximoff growled, running for the disabled Neuroi. “This one is MINE!!”

The Walker Neuroi screeched louder than usual, signaling its rage before some sort of magic blast caught the three witches off guard, and knocked Bolton, Maximoff and Kuhn onto their backs. The Walker Neuroi then got angrily out of the tree debris, and ignored the three. The Walker Neuroi spots a witch resting on a tree, and analyzes its magic levels: This witch sitting by the tree has optimum magic levels. Without hesitation, the Neuroi releases a yellow harmless beam onto the witch.

Leiber was suddenly grabbed by the Walker Neuroi by some sort of yellow ray that wrapped itself around her torso, where she was injured. She screamed in pain for this. Yoshikawa tried to fire at the Neuroi, but the Walker Neuroi suddenly releases a blue beam. She had no choice but to use her magic shield and got in front of the Duchess to protect her from the beam. Using the Neuroi’s yellow ray, it pulls Leiber towards it.

Kathryn ran to the Walker Neuroi to see be shocked of what happened next: She saw Leiber, injured from her lower back and torso, attached to the side of the Walker Neuroi with her back against it. Leiber’s hands and feet were somehow being restrained as they were partially sucked into the Neuroi’s body. “LEIBER!!!!”

“RRRAAAAAAAGH!!!!” Leiber shouted in pain, for both her injury and something else: Her magic was being sucked out of her for some reason. “W-what…?! What is this…?!”

Yoshikawa gasped at what the Neuroi is doing. Magic was being utilized from Leiber, and it was… pulling her magic in. “No!!! That Neuroi is sucking up her magic! If we let it-!”

“It’ll be unstoppable,” Kathryn muttered. Then she remembered something in her thoughts before time slowed down. ‘ _Wait a minute… The core is somewhere near the left side of the big bad bug’s back. The shell hasn’t finished regenerating yet, but if Leiber’s able to reach that part from where she is… Yeah. She can reach it._ ’ “LEIBER!!! Use your tough head!!! AMPLIFY YOUR DAMAGE ON THAT PIECE OF SHIT!!!”

Leiber smirked before her body glowed red in magic as best she can. ‘ _She’s right! I can bust the Neuroi hide just with this._ ’ She screamed before leaning her head forward, and forcefully pulled her head back towards the Neuroi shell. A small explosion of shards come from the Walker Neuroi. ‘ _I have to keep going!_ ’ She pulls her head forward and pulls her head back and hits the same spot again. She did it again, again, again, and again before the core is able to be seen. She screamed in pain, knowing her injuries were about to make her give as she let her tears go from her eyes and blood from her mouth. “Aaaagh… Do… DO IT!!! DO IT WHILE IT’S RECHARGING ITSELF!! NOW!!!”

Kuhn shouted while in tears as she grabbed the Panzerschreck launcher from a bag that belonged to Lina Leiber. As she aimed it towards the Neuroi, she saw Leiber was still attached. “No!!! I… can’t!!!”

“YOU DO IT, KUHN!!!! Defeat the Neuroi!!!” Leiber demanded this of Kuhn.

Kathryn knew that with Leiber’s magic being used, the Neuroi’s shell can regenerate faster, and the core could be missed if something wasn’t done. ‘ _No!_ ’

Her thoughts made her remember something.

**_FLASHBACK…_ **

Inside a dojo of sorts, Lina Leiber and Kathryn Bolton sparred with their martial arts uniforms on. Both seem to be in par with each others’ skills and reflexes tested to be equal. But they both wanted to see who can make it better in a mix of a formal fight and a bar fight.

In the end, it was Leiber who proved she can do both, knocking down Bolton to the ground and smiled. Her elbow was tightly on Bolton’s neck.

Leiber chuckled. “Aw… So you can’t be called the leader.”

Kathryn chuckled after Leiber’s statement. “That’s where you’re wrong. Ya gotta make sure to make up with what ya know, not with what’s easy.”

“Hmph.”

“So… what’s next? What are ya doing now?” Kathryn asked, and she winced, seeing Leiber raise her elbow over her head. ‘ _Crap. This is gonna hurt._ ’

Leiber smirked with her answer. “My duty.” And she brought her hard elbow down to put Bolton in an unconscious state…

**_End of FLASHBACK…_ **

Kathryn’s head was lowered the time she remembered her moments with Lina Leiber. And this was no joke. She didn’t want to lose someone from her team, but the circumstances can’t change. She then looked at Kuhn. “Kuhn… DO IT!!”

Kuhn held the launcher and cried before aiming upwards. “I’m so sorry… Leiber!!”

Leiber’s world slowed down and nodded. ‘ _I know you are, Kuhn. Please… Let me go._ ’

Then Kuhn looked up and muttered her ‘goodbye’ and made her move. “ ** _Schwerkraft-Rakete!!_** ” Kuhn activates her main magic before she launched the Panzerschreck round upwards. Her magic was used just before the round started to be guided towards her target. She glared at the Walker Neuroi, screaming in rage now with its magic fully charged. “Just die, Neuroi scum.”

Leiber chuckled softly while looking at Kuhn cursing at the Neuroi that held her. “That’s my girl,” she muttered to herself, before she closed her eyes and felt a sudden hit of an explosion behind her. Before she knew it, she went out quickly as her body got incinerated by Kuhn’s explosive move. The Walker Neuroi explodes in shards along with Kuhn’s explosive round.

Yoshikawa, Maximoff, Paulsen and Duchess Maria were shocked to see this, with the Duchess crying and Yoshikawa comforting her. Paulsen looked around vigilant, while Maximoff got on her knees with it hitting the soil while she put her hands on her face, blaming herself for Leiber’s death.

Kathryn looked at the flames from Kuhn’s magic attack move and didn’t look away from it for a while. ‘ _I’m sorry… Leiber._ ’ “Everyone… we have to keep moving! They won’t expect anything else but a signal. If we don’t want Leiber’s sacrifice to be in vain, we’ll do that for her.”

The others agreed to what the Captain has advised them, and they started to move. Most of them looked back at the spot of the explosion, giving their own prayers for Leiber…


	8. Volatile Tinderbox

**_Earth 1 (Advanced Warfare Dimension)_ **

**_Unknown Location…_ **

She could only hear her own breathing. Her eyes were closed. Her mind was only half open. She couldn’t tell where she was, and when she was in a reality. She once remembered a bright light consumed her. She could remember she had brief memories, between herself and others like her… witches. They were fighting an alien race known to witches for a while… the Neuroi. She could then remember what she felt before she was consumed by that bright light… satisfaction through a victory she never thought possible… thanks to the coordination between the witches of the 502nd Joint Fighter Wing… the Brave Witches. Question is… who was she from all of them?

“ _Ms. Karibuchi._ ” A woman’s voice, identifiable with almost no accent on her English. The girl could tell this woman was Liberion in a way. But while she was listening to the woman, she couldn’t make her body respond even with movements. Then she analysed the name the woman called out. There were only two members of the 502nd Joint Strike Wing that had the same surname… Takami, or her younger sister Hikari.

Then Karibuchi, whichever her given name would be, replied weakly. “Who… am I?”

“ _Whoever you want to be. In any case, we just don’t care. When she brought you to us, we only thought that you wouldn’t wake up. After all, her only prognosis she gave us is that she gave you a coma on purpose._ ” The woman responded, having been able to be brief towards the girl. “ _Open your eyes. Slowly. If I’m right, your muscles should start to activate now._ ”

The girl softly groaned and let her face move. Her brows were furrowed at first since she felt that the rest of her body was just getting its senses. She slowly opens her eyes, which first gives her a vision of a blur, with mostly white in the room, but having other details, signifying she might be in a recovery room of a medical facility or barracks. As the blur was clearing up, she looked to her right. She was seeing a blonde woman wearing a black corporate attire. But with the era she last remembers she was in? She doubts that it would be normal attire. That was one thing she noticed.

She then spoke up, moving her head to face the woman. “My body… It’s just returning to me. Where am I?” She spoke, having noticed her voice seemed to be younger than Takami’s. She must be Hikari if she’s able to remember the memories more closely. Then she felt her own skin crawl from her head down to her toes. She grits her teeth and gasped as it finished. The rush of her skin crawling was sudden. “What’s going on?!”

“Take it easy,” the woman said, nearing the bed railings and putting her hands on it while making eye contact with Hikari. “My name is Erica Hill. You’re in a recovery room. And as I told you before, you just woke up from a comatose condition.”

“Comatose? Me?” Hikari glares at Erica. “I don’t believe you.”

Erica was then seeing Hikari as she is with short brown hair and a lighter shade of the same color on the eyes. Then Erica was amazed of something. For a while, Hikari was able to deploy her familiar features as soon as she was showing emotion after a while of being in a coma. Just as Erica was told, there was something special in Hikari. The squirrel ears were shown on Hikari’s head. Erica then took a deep breath and decided to calm herself down. The last thing she needed to be is feeling disbelief, and remain objective in all she’s experiencing. “Okay, okay. I know you don’t need to take it from me. But I’m sure there’s a good reason that you were. So… Do you know who you were before you were here?”

“Hm.” Hikari seemed to hesitate at first, but she knew she couldn’t just hide it any longer. One way or the other, Erica would know anyway. She sighs and gives in, speaking out her name. “Karibuchi, Hikari. That’s who I am. How long was I out?”

“If you should know, M.D. told me that you needed to be kept in cryostasis. According to her, you were asleep for two years. She put in a lot of money before ATLAS was ever aware of you. Whoever she was to you, she seems to think of you as an important part of that other world.”

“Other world?” Hikari caught those words and repeated them to Erica. Then Hikari was feeling she was about to hear something she never thought possible. “What do you-”

“You’re in a parallel Earth, Hikari. Not only that. There’s a second factor to where and when you are now. Apart that you’re from a parallel Earth, you also took part of a war in your world, similar to ours in the past except there’s no alien species involved in ours. You’ve been sent into the future of this parallel Earth, year 2061.” Erica said that slowly to make sure Hikari hears it. Absorbing the information however is a different story altogether.

Hikari is taking the news slowly, keeping the glare of her eyes away from Erica as she looked in other parts of the room, towards her bed and back to the woman. “We just destroyed… a nest.”

“A nest?”

“That’s the last thing I remember. These Neuroi nests are not always easy to eliminate. Usually, they’re a spawning point for the Neuroi that are attacking towns and villages.” Hikari then changed the subject. “Didn’t whoever put me in stasis tell you anything?”

“No. I don’t think so. She only told me you were from that other world. Not every detailed specific of what you were participating in before the memories were supposedly cut.” Erica sighs. “You seem to take this well.”

Hikari frowns at Erica. “As much as would miss my world… I don’t know… For some reason I don’t feel like I belong there… and that I belong here instead. Doesn’t make sense.” Hikari then saw Erica adjusting that bed railing on her side of the bed before she lowers the railing. “Um… Are you letting me walk?”

“According to M.D., you recover faster than usual than the normal human being does. For one thing, that’s either magic or something else entirely.” Erica said that, stepping back from the bed. And she eventually sees Hikari try to move herself, starting with her legs, one by one over the edge before sitting up. “That’s it.”

And Hikari noticed she was in a robe of some sort, in a very light green color. She then started to step on her bare foot right on the floor, one by one. She was just getting the feel for both her feet and doing it slowly. Then she had the other foot down while breathing to get her balance. “I hope my sleep was worth it. My friends… I left them behind…”

“If you say so,” Erica said. And she had a glare from Hikari.

The matter Hikari was trying to understand just made her a bit upset. “I don’t know who this M.D. is.”

“It stands for Magical Destroyer. She’s a dimensional traveler. According to her, there’s no portal that exists, which could transport one subject to a parallel Earth of this one, and in this case yours.” Erica was explaining this, hoping to not upset Hikari any longer. “ATLAS had residual data lying around in relation to Project Magic, the name of the contingency plan for ATLAS to escape from this world into yours. According to encrypted traffic, ATLAS lost the last of the residual data to some potential defectors. And if we’re right, they have the schematics to Project Magic. The reason Magical Destroyer brought you here, is the fact that you’re the last piece to the puzzle.”

Hikari was dumbfounded by the plan. “What…? But I can do only so much.”

“Not with the body you think you know.” Erica sighs. “You better come with me. There’s something else you need to know.”

It wasn’t like there wasn’t anything else for Hikari to consider. Something about her identity made her think she’s not who she thinks she is. Though strangely, she’s taking this new information just steadily.

**_Earth 2 (Witches’ Dimension)_ **

**_1848 hours…_ **

Barkhorn and Yeager were assigned together to retrieve a stashed army truck that was stored in the case of lack of logistical support for troops. Though this time had to be different, as they needed to get the J.S.U. transportation for themselves. It wasn’t logical to carry them all together with the Duchess, so Sakamoto thought of defending the transport from getting hit instead.

Meanwhile, Yoshika was standing on guard with Lynette as they both hovered just at a distance from Barkhorn and Yeager. The two were able to find time while they were alone, so Yoshika started the conversation. “Lynette… About what you said…”

“Yes?” Lynette was just paying attention to Yoshika, noticing the Fusojin wanted something. And relating, she smiled. “I know it appeared it may have been blurted out, but that’s true.”

“I want to try believing it.” Yoshika said it without completing her complete thought. Lynette already sensed there was more to what Yoshika meant. “Lynne, I think I want to make this work.” She looked at Lynne’s eyes and continued to speak. “I don’t know how, but I think I know my instincts tell me… You were there when I was almost immobilized. You kept believing that I can keep moving. And… I should. There’s no use just staying in one place.”

Lynette nods. “And it all started when Rome was being attacked.”

“I felt so much more when I was seeing all those lives being taken away. But it’s not fair I shut myself out to those who are helping me recover… most especially you.” Yoshika freed one hand and held Lynette’s free hand. The Britannian witch felt it was soothing rather than take this by surprise. “Though I never knew I’d want to return the love to you too.”

“Yoshika… I-” Lynette’s surprise on Yoshika’s recent words were accompanied with an interruption to her speech, seeing the Fusojin witch lean in and start a kiss. Lynette receives and gives back, letting them both drown in that kiss for a moment.

It only took a few more seconds just before a voice came to both their earpieces. “ _Bishop! Miyafuji!_ ” Mio Sakamoto’s voice, one with urgency, called out to them. The two girls pulled away from their kiss while blushing at each other. “ _They’re starting to load the J.S.U. along with Duchess Maria. Keep them covered._ ”

On the ground, Shirley was on the left-hand side of the cockpit, driving the truck with Barkhorn seated beside her. Patricia Schade hovered near the driver’s side of the cockpit while seeing Bolton’s team of infantry witches proceed with Duchess Maria to the truck.

Schade had something in mind and decided to speak to Shirley. “Hey… You got that feeling… Irons… He said something interesting about an eye watching above us from space.”

Shirley sighs. “Not surprised. That broadcast was quite creepy.”

Barkhorn decided to reply. “If there’s truth to what he’s saying, then there’s a chance that he’s just toying with us.”

“Maybe,” Schade said. “It could creep me less if they started to attack us here and now. I think I know what their next move is.”

Shirley saw and felt the truck’s rear door was opened. She saw Duchess Maria being loaded into the truck with the help of Kathryn Bolton. “So… I heard you guys had a lot of trouble on the rendezvous.”

Bolton found Duchess Maria a seat beside her and decided to talk to the one who spoke to her from the cockpit. “Um… Yeah. Hey… You’re Glamorous Shirley, aren’t you?”

Shirley winced and smiled. “Yeah! Glad to know you were doing your homework. Um…”

“Kathryn Bolton,” Barkhorn said as she looked at the rest of the JSU mounting into the truck. She focused her eyes on the Captain. “Joint Special Forces. I don’t always hear or see you, but I think I have an idea of your reputation. Clearing the ground out of the way just to prevent the rest of us witches from encountering them from the sky is pretty impressive.”

“I think you exaggerated it,” Kathryn replied. “We conduct missions with assistance from a large number of regular infantry.”

Shirley was just about to reply when Schade flew away. Not minding it, she continued to reply. “Good work with securing Duchess Maria. Lucchini would have been devastated if anything happened to her.”

Duchess Maria gasped when she heard Lucchini’s name given by Shirley. “Wait, how is she?!”

“She’s fine. But with the developments? Not taking it well,” Barkhorn replied. “Rome fell. And the rest of Romagna is well on its way to be in the hands of ATLAS. I wouldn’t be surprised if they started to take over the rest of the world by now.”

Kathryn shook her head in disapproval. “Even if they have the technology from the other world, they wouldn’t rush things too quickly-”

“Maybe you haven’t been informed, but Neuroi have started to ally with them!” Barkhorn replied, glaring at Bolton. “Look… We can talk about this when we get back to Sicily. The rest of the squadron are holding position above us.” Then Barkhorn noticed something. Just as all of the JSU boarded, she believed she missed one more. The rear door of the truck was closed and she winced at that. “Wasn’t there supposed to be one more?!”

Bolton shook her head gently, speaking while unfazed by then. “She’s dead.”

Barkhorn and Yeager gasped as they both looked at Bolton. They took half a minute to process it until they just decided to leave the matter at a later time. The engine of the truck was started and it was then moving on the dirt road.

**_Sicily base, occupied by the 501 st Joint Fighter Wing…_ **

Minna was at the control tower as she was seeing Commander Lida Yermolayevna flying in and landing on the strip. There was simply no relevant exchange between them on the radio. It’s just that Lida didn’t decide to contact her at all. As Minna sighs and takes off her communications headset and handing it over to a corporal, she leaves the tower. She immediately heads to the unit hangar…

Lida had just docked her unit when Minna arrived. “Ah, Major.”

“What in the hell is going on?!” Minna was somewhat furious of Lida’s unexpected arrival without the notification. “Commander, with all due respect, you had your earpiece.”

“I lost my earpiece during the battle,” Lida said and glared towards Minna. “I don’t think there’s any need for concern.”

“You know that is crap.” Minna said it calmly, still looking at Lida without jeopardizing her still demeanor. “I don’t know what’s more disturbing: Your alleged involvement in Eila’s removal from our unit, or you, not regrouping with your own squad given that you are in charge.”

“What did you say?!!” Lida approached Minna with a controlled rage which allowed her to stop a feet away. “I think we made one thing clear before. You failed in your duties.”

“That I have…” Minna didn’t finish her statement and kept her eyes, glaring back at Lida. “…but I’m not going to stand a superior officer failing in their own duties. I’ve known my faults.”

Lida snorts at Minna’s statement. “Hmph. You’re a disaster waiting to happen. What I say goes. We both know that in your failure, you led the unit to be discredited. I’m just making sure to lessen the damages, however I see fit.”

And as Minna was about to reply, Lida immediately just walks past, letting her shoulder bump into Minna’s without a care and keeps walking. Minna didn’t stop the Commander and just looked before she disappeared from her sight. From how Minna sees this, she doesn’t believe Lida is going to lead them in the right direction, with the losses their side is facing. She heard engines of striker units from a distance and she could see that Yoshika and Lynette were coming in for a landing. Minna sighs, now thinking of the future of the 501st.

**_Earth 1 (Advanced Warfare Dimension)_ **

**_1136 hours…_ **

“What am I… looking at…?!” Hikari had an emotion of shock on her face, seeing something she never thought was possible.

It was a white-themed laboratory chamber. There was an all-black humanoid having no face, and no skin except its very dark exterior. And as Hikari laid eyes on the humanoid that was standing though not alive, something within her subconscious hits her. She identifies with that same humanoid because parts of her felt as if she isn’t her own person entirely. The humanoid seemed to resonate being what she is… especially when there were things that didn’t add up to her when she woke up… why she only had clear memories of herself when she said her own name… and what her skin had done when she identified herself.

Hikari came to that point that she realized it. “Am I… a shapeshifter?”

Erica was beside her as Hikari was looking at the humanoid dummy stored in the glass box. “Experiment YR-Bravo Niner-Five. Others call it the human shifter. It is able to take the shape of subjects visually represented to them either with the use of data or just with their vision. Though in your case being beyond what an android is, your own consciousness is able to process what you can do.”

Hikari lowers her head and closes her eyes. “Now I know why I have my sister’s memories too… No… had them for a brief moment before I chose who I should be.” She opens her eyes and looks at Erica. “I was looking for a person to emulate. Once I chose who I wanted to identify as, I get the identity. And thanks to that…” Hikari then tapped into her abilities without fear and her skin felt like it crawled.

And Erica saw more as Hikari’s appearance and shape was changing. She saw Hikari remove the medical robes as the rest of the body was appearing with its own set of clothing. Soon, Erica was seeing a taller version of Hikari with longer hair and wearing a white naval uniform of sorts. As the shapeshifting was complete, Erica winced at the figure. “Who is-?”

“Takami,” Hikari replied. And she noticed that her voice can be switched for Takami’s voice. Using Takami’s voice, she continued to speak. “She and I flew together in the 502nd Joint Fighter Wing.” As she explained, Hikari looked at her own appearance by looking at her arms first, then her legs to examine herself. “I know for a fact Takami wore this uniform most of the time. I guess her ‘data’ is also around in memory. The rest of them are stored in memory too. I wonder why.”

Erica looked at the humanoid dummy, then back at Hikari, who was then appearing as her true self, only wearing a navy-blue naval uniform minus her pants. “Finally taking your more preferred appearance.”

“I know myself from the moment I was called in for a spot in the 502nd. Though my past just beyond that time is vague. I guess not all memories can be accurate.” Hikari spoke in a flat tone. “I’m not the real Hikari after all.”

Erica puts her hand on Hikari’s shoulder. “You shouldn’t beat yourself up like that. You’re just as much as Hikari as you can be. Just… Existing for a different circumstance. Listen… Magical Destroyer needed you in this world to fulfill a purpose, and much more. Technological and magical prowess seemed to be in question, but not anymore thanks to you. The dummy you see with us isn’t due to be activated with a personality for another 50 years. How she got her hands on the likes of you is beyond me. But one thing is certain: We cannot wait for a longer time when it comes to securing a way for a portal to the other world. We wanted to take a chance that you would be left here to accelerate our plans.”

Then Hikari got a little suspicious and glared at Erica. “I refuse to believe that I’ll be continuously used. Because from the moment that you’ve opened up that I’m not who I say I am, which I truly believe is true, you also didn’t deny that I could be used once things are set in motion up to the point they’re finished. Second… I never even met the Magical Destroyer.”

“You’re asking when you’ll meet her.” Erica made that assumption out loud, which Hikari answered in the affirmative with a nod. “She said she’ll return the moment the portal is opened. I don’t know what else to tell you, except she wants things to be set in motion too. By then, you can make your choice if you want to continue working towards a goal others tell you to go through or not.”

Hikari listened to Erica and she looked away. She looked at her hand and opened it up to see her palm. She concentrated while narrowing her eyes. Soon, her hand’s skin darkened. It was something she could do: Change appearance, and possibly mimic any target she chooses. “Well… Am I going to be an infiltrator of sorts?”

“Mostly, that’s what your android function is for, but Destroyer wants you for the primary goal: Using direct magic power that you now possess. You’ll have to make sure your usage of magic is just the same at first, as how the real Hikari Karibuchi uses magic. M.D.’s been keeping a close eye on the Project Magic specifics ever since New Baghdad where most of the armed forces and command structure of ATLAS was last seen from.” Erica approached the humanoid dummy and looked at it before she looked back at Hikari. “There’s a lot I have to explain to you, but Jonathan Irons, ever since he declared war on the rest of the free world wanted nothing to do with the wars of every other nation. He believes that a nation of his own would solve the world’s wars. Until we finish off the remainder of ATLAS here and its deep research outposts, I say we can’t pursue him yet. Though along the way… we can retrieve the schematics of Project Magic from potential defectors. They were last spotted and engaged by ATLAS mercenaries from Siberia.”

“I understand,” Hikari said. “All you have to do, is point me at the right direction.” And Hikari’s eyes, slightly glows red, while showing her eyes had advanced optics which can be meticulously seen by the naked eye.

**_Earth 2 (Witches’ Dimension)_ **

**_ATLAS Mobile HQ…_ **

Irons was pacing back and forth in the briefing room with Dana Caulfield seated at a chair among 7 others surrounding a diamond-shaped table top. She observed him being somehow anxious, but it was easily being removed as he kept looking at her several times. It took minutes, but he was able to stop walking and take a chair across Dana’s before he sits and looks at her. “I hope you knew what you were doing.”

Dana narrowed her eyes at Irons but expressed her confidence. “She and I were in an operation together. Reflective thinking got us to a point where we discussed the possibility of having fought each other if the Neuroi never arrived.” She was speaking and got his attention. “Us witches fought enemies, distant cousins from the Neuroi, and others who are natural dwellers of the world, but things have changed. The times, teaches us that when we have power, we seek more. She understood, and I did too. It’s only a matter of holding the right type and number of friends later on for struggle to supremacy.”

He raised an eyebrow, now curious of Dana’s plan. “Intriguing. And you think you can turn her to our side?”

Dana smirked at him. “There wasn’t any need. If what you plan about the parents succeeds, and then with mine coming to fruition, I think we can break the 501st, at least some of them. They’ll lose their rationality in their decision-making, and I think you’ll have an easier time dealing with them.”

**_In a distinct mountain-range snowy region in Orussia… 2154 hours…_ **

In a snow cabin, it seemed silent. The squad of ATLAS One-Three was able to make their way in, find the inhabitants of the home, and drag them out. There were three people: A man in his mid-50’s, a woman in her late 40’s and a man in his late 20’s. Ghost did in the old man by smashing his head on the keyboard of a grand piano at the living room. He did that repeatedly until the skull was cracked and the man was bleeding. As soon as the man was critically in danger of dying, Ghost finishes him off with a suppressed shot from a suppressed weapon. Giant and Fish took their time with the woman and the other man, only punching them until they beat them to death. The woman had her throat slit and the last man had his neck snapped.

And dealing with all occupants, Ghost calls it in using his earpiece. “Prophet, Atlas One-Three. It’s done. Request for extraction.”


	9. Volatile Tinderbox pt. 2

**_Earth 2 (Witches’ Dimension)_ **

**_Earlier…_ **

Lida splits up from the rest of the squadron when ATLAS forces were falling back along with Dana Caulfield. Dana taunts Lida, and the Orussian Commander takes the bait. She goes after the ATLAS witch defector.

Lida makes sure to keep her automatic weapon pointed front as she hovers low into a small ravine with few trees. She believes she lost Dana, but she isn’t done yet. Hovering in place, she closes her eyes. And opening them again, her eyes give a slight glow of green. The rest of the 501st witches had an idea of what familiar she has… an Orussian Jackal. Her vision was able to tell that there were pathways symbolized into lines. She even looked toward the direction of crawling worms making little pathways. The bigger lines in the world are able to tell those her size where they go, and the only recent white line she could follow leads down through the straight ravine. She hovers forward and the line leads into a small cave. Keeping her gun up, Lida enters the cave hovering lower to the ground. The ceiling was at least high so that her whole hovering body would be able to fit. She presses deeper into the cave. Using one hand to hold her automatic weapon, she equips a flashlight and switches it on, shining light into the darkness. She slight loudness of the engines of her striker didn’t bother her.

“ _Figured you’d want to find me._ ” Dana’s voice came from ahead. And from her appearance, she was only to make herself appear out of reflective images of the light shining from Lida and the surroundings. Once camouflaged, she had decided to show herself with her weapon lowered. While hovering, she decided to continue to speak. “Take it easy. I’m not here to keep you trapped.”

Lida chuckled, lowering her weapon though keeping the light on Dana. “Caulfield. A very loud speaker for reformists and sometimes a hot head. So this is what it’s come to?”

“Yes. Exactly what it’s come to. And what about you? A whore to Orussia?” Dana hit a nerve, but it didn’t offend Lida.

“More like an insider.” Lida replied, looking away from Dana. “Ever since 1939, everything’s changed. Orussian diplomats and warmongers decided to put differences aside. And the result? They become dependent on the import of weapons. That just makes me sick. Orussia wasn’t what it used to be. It feels like every move they make just makes the country look weaker.”

“If it doesn’t fool you, why do you keep remaining in the service?” Dana asked, then approaching Lida in a hover before stopping two feet away. “You could always request a reassignment.”

“And lose the usual paycheck? I wouldn’t be here talking to you. That’s always best thing… Looking for a better paycheck just to make ends meet. And sometimes, it’s just the next battle that keeps me alive… These days… It’s annoying the likes of Sanya Litvyak that keeps me sane. She never sees the big picture in the world. All what’s in her mind is following orders just as blindly as the next poster ace.” Lida snorts afterwards and looks at Dana. “You know… If her parents are found, I hope they never accept Sanya ever again.”

“Believe and wish what you want. It won’t change the way she is. I believe she was growing with that belief that hope stems from seeing them again.” Dana advised Lida before changing the subject. “Enough about you and Sanya. I have an offer I want to make.”

“Don’t bother.” Lida interrupts Dana and looks her in the eye. “If you have an out, I want it.”

Dana winced at this and narrowed her eyes at Lida. “Lida… You’re talking about-”

“I have a grudge. The likes of Sanya who gives others hope, don’t deserve the spotlight. I might have been on the wrong side of history. I was treated like shit. Maybe it’s because she has a problem: She’s inferior and worth being stepped on, not praised. And I can expedite her downfall better when I join an enemy of hers.” Lida looks at Dana and smiles evilly. “I thought about all of it… ever since ATLAS had arrived. Deep inside, I wanted to see if they can put me in a better position than how I am now.”

Dana chuckled. “So you’ve finally shown your colors. I never thought you’d see it. Well… That’s well and good, but you can’t go anywhere without getting your hands dirty. You’ve got to be ready to take a life.”

Lida’s smile slowly faded and she looked Dana in the eye. “It’s not the same as destroying Neuroi, is it?”

“No it’s not.” Dana said that, just before she went to one direction of the cave and dragged someone tied on hands and legs. A male Romagnan soldier was bound and tied up in cloth, and Dana dragged him in front of Lida. “I found him sneaking just as I was leading you here. I thought I’d put him as a normal first time.”

The soldier grits his teeth, struggling to get loose. “You two will never escape justice! I hope the higher-ups see your cruelty!! You are both to be blamed for corruption!!”

Dana chuckles evilly. “Corruption? I’m a downright traitor. I’m just putting a fellow witch into an initiation.”

Lida looks at the helpless soldier. She sees him glare at her and she took it into disgust. Pointing her weapon right at him, she snorts. “You make yourself too easy to kill.”

The soldier winced at this, revealing Lida’s will increase. He thinks she’d really kill him. “P-please!! Think about this!!! Once you take a life, you won’t come back from-!”

“In the end, it could have stayed different if the Neuroi never arrived. We would have killed each other instead and maybe I could have been at another place. But you know what?” Lida puts the barrel of her weapon right at the soldier’s chest. “Эта сцена меня устраивает. (This scene is just fine with me.)” And Lida squeezes the trigger, unleashing a long volley of bullets, which starts to kill off the soldier.

It only took a few seconds for Dana to realize Lida was enjoying herself. That blood spraying around the walls and some on her legs didn’t faze the witch who just killed the soldier in cold blood. And as the firing stopped, she could see Lida was panting. The soldier was dead, shot many times in the chest and torso. Dana sighs and looks from the corpse to Lida. “So it’s done. Welcome.”

“Not yet.” Lida replied while still looking at the corpse, and breathing as she realized she took the life of a human... one of her own. “I’ll be readying myself. If I can’t have Eila Juutilainen removed from the 501st so easily, then her life would have to suffice.” Lida looks at Dana. “One thing is for sure about this violence we have in our hearts. It gets easier at each kill.”

**_Present… Sicily Base occupied by the 501 st JFW…_ **

**_0823 hours…_ **

Everybody is at their usual in the base as they were expecting the last of the transports from civilians to come through. Freighter ships will be transporting those civilians off Romagna for good. Going west past the Kingdoms of Hispania and Lusitania, the freighter would be heavily protected by outposts temporarily set up by witches who help in the civilian evacuations.

Eila was called in by Majors Sakamoto and Dietlinde-Wilcke to the Commander’s room. The fact that she would be called into the office was something irregular to her. And she knew later why. Looking at the papers Mio and Minna were shown by Lida, Eila was disgusted of this but didn’t react outrageously.

“I don’t know what kind of pull she’s got, but this isn’t enough.” Eila said this and looked at Minna. “You didn’t give this to me just because you trust me, did you?”

“That’s the thing, Eila.” Minna looked at Mio, seeing the latter nod before she looked back to Eila. “Your psychology as you’re with us right now doesn’t add up to what Commander Yermolayevna said from the psych reports shown to us. What’s more is… She’s got pull probably from those who were involved in your enlistment. The kinds of connections she has… She could easily pull you away from the 501st with approval from Kesselring.”

“Minna,” Mio called out. “Whether we have Field Marshal Kesselring come to us again just to pull Eila off the unit, we have a right to refuse.”

“It won’t be easy as the Commander is in charge of us both. Well…” Minna stopped talking and sighs. She was standing up just across Mio and nodded once.

Mio winced and gritted her teeth. “Minna?! You’re not serious.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Minna looked at Mio seriously. “If she’s left us no other choice but be torn apart because of her antics-”

Eila interrupts Minna. “A… mutiny?” Once she said that recent word, the two majors looked at her. Eila then winced. “I… I don’t know what to say. Wait… I don’t know but… It’s moving too fast… Do you guys mind if we take it slow?”

“Of course,” Minna replied. “The move itself will be dependent on what else you would show.” She then decided to approach her desk and retrieve something. And taking out a few ripped out pages, she puts the ripped pages on the table. “You did the right thing to tell us about what the Commander had done to Sanya. Now… I think we can-”

The door to the room was suddenly opened with the hinges coming off the sides. Lida’s familiar features were shown and she was in rage.

Eila stood up from where she sat and stepped aside and stepped back from the three. Her heartbeat increased, and her fear began to show. She saw Lida draw a pistol out and aim at Minna. Sakamoto however got in between the pistol and Minna before a gunshot rang in the room. Lida squeezed that pistol to find Sakamoto’s shield slightly deployed and it shatters. Lida fires again, and the bullet pierces Mio’s chest. “MAJOR SAKAMOTO!!!!”

Mio felt pain at her chest and the effect was immediate. Blood flows from where she was shot and dripped from her mouth. “Damn you…!”

“NO!!!!” Minna’s fit of rage in response to what happened forced her to draw her own pistol and aim at Lida.

And Eila couldn’t believe the image she was seeing through her own eyes. Minna could only express rage that she wasn’t able to see herself shot in the last second until it was too late. Her neck was hit from a gunshot from Lida. Eila then sees Lida shoot Minna again, thus killing her target with blood flowing from the target’s forehead. “ _This is a nightmare…! She’s coming after us…!_ ” Eila said this and she found herself in the corner of the room. “S-Stop…!! Please…!!”

And after Minna, Lida came after Sakamoto. Mio couldn’t move as she was fatally wounded and was leaning against the desk bleeding. Mio looked at Lida and gritted her teeth. “Someday… you’ll find what’s coming to you…!”

“I think I’ve already found myself at that point, Major. Besides… I’m not the one who’s dead.” And Lida squeezed the trigger, giving Mio a headshot, letting the corpse lay dead on the floor.

Lida then looked at Eila who was in fear. “See what you’ve done? I’m coming for you, and then Sanya. Then… I’m sure you understand.”

**_1323 hours…_ **

Sanya was stirred awake, just slightly because she heard Eila was talking in her sleep in that dark room… ‘ _What’s going on?_ ’ She asked herself that in her thoughts. ‘ _Eila?_ ’

Eila was more evident in experiencing a nightmare in her daylight sleep. “MMM!!! No… Sanya…!! NO!!!”

This time, Sanya was more alert as she attempted to check on Eila. As she was near her roommate, she tries to stir Eila awake.

“You bitch…!! You can’t…!!!” Eila spoke more and gasped in her nightmare, not being able to get out of her sleep, groaning as she suffered mentally.

“Eila… Wake up! Wake up!!” Sanya shook Eila. She noticed the witch’s sweat out of the nightmare that was experienced. “Please… Please…!!!” And Sanya got no response just by simple calls and attempts to stir Eila awake. Her next solution should include snapping Eila out of it by shouting. But she wasn’t sure of what it’ll result to. Did she have any other choice? Sanya took a deep breath and shouted Eila’s name while she gripped Eila’s shoulders tight. “EILA!! WAKE UP!!!”

“NOOO!!!!” Eila opened her eyes, full of rage, shaking her shoulders to instantly get Sanya’s hands off them. Without finding distinction on her target of rage, she suddenly puts her hands on Sanya’s neck. Eila turned their positions around, now with Sanya on the bed being choked by Eila. Eila’s blind rage kept her going. “You killed them, you bitch… you bitch!!!”

Sanya grits her teeth and counters Eila. She was able to find an opening and swings her hand right at Eila’s cheek. As Sanya felt her own palm slap Eila’s cheek, things have halted. She saw Eila stop in surprise. The hands were still on Sanya’s neck, but it was slowly being released. Sanya started to cry even while it was over. She sees Eila was getting back to her senses.

And as soon as Eila realized who she was once choking to death, she immediately got her hands off Sanya’s neck. “Sanya…?! No… What have I done…!”

And Sanya tried to stop making noises as she shed tears, trying to see Eila was getting her mind straight. “Eila… What’s happened?”

Eila was surprised Sanya had asked that simple question. She covered her own mouth, ashamed of what may come out next. ‘ _You wouldn’t understand… You wouldn’t…!_ ’

“Try me.” Sanya said, glaring at Eila while she wiped her tears with her hand. “I can’t stand to see you suffer like this.”

“Tell that to yourself.” Eila said that, looking away from Sanya. “It had always gone one way, not the other. I try to find ways to not see you cry… These times… we’re not even sure if we can keep it together. I can’t stand the way she made you fear her.”

“Her?” Sanya asked that, then remembered who Eila was referring to. “Commander Lida,” she spoke her mind aloud.

“Sanya… The moment I’ve seen you tremble, I knew I had an obligation to find a way to get you out of a situation that impairs you. I… I found secrets she kept… secrets involving her inflicting abuse. It kept me concentrated, you know.” Eila then sat across on Sanya’s bed as she continued. “I’m trying inch by inch to get her to stay away from you, but she always has her way. Now… It’s as if she’s on a darker path. That nightmare I got… It felt… vivid and real... First… she killed Minna.” Eila looked at Sanya, seeing the night witch’s horror start to appear. “Then she killed off Major Sakamoto. Perrine came and with Barkhorn too. These little things with rotors ambushed them… killing them where they stood. The whole base was under attack by phantoms… Lida didn’t care. She kept killing soldiers, and even took out Shirley-!”

“THAT’S ENOUGH!!!” Sanya briefly shouted at Eila. “Eila… That didn’t seem to be a nightmare!”

Eila shook her head. “No. I believe it’s worse.”

Knocks on the door were heard. Eila wanted Sanya to get sleep, but Sanya insisted she stay awake with all that’s happened between them. And so, Eila was the one who went for the door. Opening it, she saw Patricia Schade who was looking curiously at Eila. “Um… I don’t know how to say this, but the weirdest thing happened. Is Sanya awake?”

Before Eila could answer, she sensed Sanya was already next to her. “Uh, Sanya?”

Sanya only smiled and pulled Eila’s head and kissed the cheek she slapped. “I think we’re past what happened.”

Schade could only react in some surprise as Eila has when she saw Sanya kiss Eila’s cheek. She clears her throat to get Sanya’s attention. “I’m not sure how to address this, but I was able to find a sealed package, in form of a crate. I wasn’t sure of how I’d tell it to Commander Lida, but it’s addressed to you, so I went to you instead.”

Sanya looked at Eila, who looked at her. Then she looked back to Schade. “How sealed?”

“For some reason, it was given multiple layers of adhesive. Seems whoever wanted to give you something wanted to keep the contents preserved. Though… one thing I noticed… The smell was a little peculiar, like an overflow of perfume.” Schade said and scratched her head. “You need to open it for yourself. I left it for you at the surplus room.”

“Thank you.” Sanya said it while she nodded before Schade left. Then she closed the door only up to a point where there was still light from the outside. “I wonder who wanted to give me supplies from home?”

Eila cupped her cheek as she was thinking of it. “Maybe I should come with you. Getting dressed?”

And Sanya and Eila left their room while being dressed. They didn’t know that Commander Lida was watching from afar. Only a mischievous smile was formed on her face before she moved on, walking to another direction.

Meanwhile… Lynette was using her Anti-Materiel Rifle in a practice shooting that afternoon. Knowing any of her enemies, they could come at a moment’s notice. It was also her way of keeping herself distracted from all the bleakness she had experienced from the past several days. She targeted marker dummies, with some slightly moving because of mechanical cables. This was why she was also running to different spots and taking different stances. Recently, she’d been experimenting on balancing stamina, balancing her ability to shoot and move while she anticipates the enemy’s movement. While it isn’t much that she kept moving and shooting, she was ensuring she’s not sticking like a tree.

After a few minutes more, Barkhorn was walking right behind Lynette, who was just stopping for a break. “I see you’ve been a little more active.”

Lynette notices Barkhorn was around. Using a handkerchief and lowering her heavy rifle while retracting her familiar features, she nods. “As of late, I’ve been thinking. If Romagna is just as doomed in the next hour, I think it would be best if I don’t stand still. It’s inevitable, unfortunately.” She looks out on the horizon and sighs. “It would have simpler… if we were fighting Neuroi.”

Barkhorn walks beside of Lynette and crosses one arm over the other. “Would it have been better than seeing flesh and blood not killing each other? If 1939’s lesson didn’t teach us anything, it’s that if we weren’t going to fight an enemy on common ground, we’re could have had each other in our crosshairs instead.” Her statement got Lynette’s attention. “Look… There’s nothing to take that type of reality away… the kind of substitution. I guess… This is the time when it all changes. We’ll have witches coming at us. And it just starts with one.”

Lynette frowns. “Caulfield.”

“She could have chosen to take a step higher than just joining whoever had more power. Tch. She chose who she should be. And I think that’s fine with me.” Barkhorn said this and walked away, not wanting to be bothered.

Minna joined Lynette just as Barkhorn was walking away. “Trude didn’t use to be this way. I’m guessing that was true since Karlsland was once getting into a moment of power.” She explained this as Lynette gave her attention. “She’s right, you know. 1939 onwards could have been a different story if the world remained as it was without the Neuroi. Makes you want to think of the philosophy we could have had when we don’t defend humanity as a whole.”

“What do you mean?” Lynette asked, wanting to hear more from Minna.

“Military structures differ country to country. And each leader of a country has their own agenda, with some economically aligned to each other. The thought however of isolation was halted the moment every human was considered a target by the Neuroi. But if witches started to run out of enemies to destroy, our own cultural differences would set us all apart and alienate us from each other. Our loyalties? Strictly to a flag or an alliance, or a taste of both. And if one thing leads to another, we’d only be warring against each other based on beliefs and territory.” Minna’s shade on her face was being made, knowing partially that she would be guilty for what she had said. “If things stayed as they were without the Neuroi, you and I could have been enemies instead.”

A crackle of audio came to Minna’s earpiece. It was a non-magic officer’s voice. “ _Major!_ _Urgent transmission from Patrol Rapier._ ”

Minna raised an eyebrow. ‘ _That’s Lucchini, Clostermann and Yeager on patrol. Did they discover something?_ ’ “Put them through.”

Shirley’s voice came to Minna’s earpiece. “ _Major, I realize Commander Lida isn’t available, but just a head’s up… two smaller portals opened up! Grid 005 437, directly southeast and off our isle for 8 miles._ ”

“Portals?! Smaller than the ones from Rome?!”

“ _Looks like it- Whoa!!! These planes again?!! We’re under attack and we’ll handle it! Stand by!_ ” Shirley’s voice was cut off.

Out at sea southeast of the isle, four ATLAS Warbirds that were agile than the others encountered at Rome were able to keep up with Shirley, and Perrine. Lucchini chose to be erratic so she’d stay unpredictable. But Perrine and Shirley hold their own while they’re together.

“Shield!” Shirley tells Perrine that and the Gallian deploys a shield in front of her before minigun rounds are being deflected. The Gallian flies to a direction to try and outmaneuver the shooting warbird. Shirley was behind Perrine the whole way and suddenly splits to make an attack on the warbird. As she fires a spread of automatic rounds, she notices the warbirds have a basic deflecting armor, which seemed to make the aircraft extra resistant. “They’re taking rounds like a sponge, but we can still tear them a hole!”

“Woo-hoo!!!” Lucchini was keeping her eyes on her pursuers while she shoots back at them, making progress in targeting the Warbird rotors more. “Just go for the blades! They’re much weaker there!!”

Minna was in the control tower back at Sicily base coordinating the situation with the current patrol. So far, she was at least relieved no reinforcements are needed, but the fight itself is taking its time even if it’s progressing to their favor.

Meanwhile, Sanya and Eila were making their way to the surplus room. Just as they turned to a connecting corridor, they see Erica Hartmann jogging past.

“What’s going on?” Eila asked and kept seeing Erica jog.

“Patrol reinforcing! Not a biggie!” Erica said as she jogged away to the direction of the hangar.

Sanya scratched her head. “It seems almost quiet, save for the usual minimal ATLAS presence around us and the new Neuroi that were appearing.”

“You mean the ones with blue outlines,” Eila said to clarify what Sanya meant. “For the likes of our enemy to have a Neuroi for an ally… Wow. The world’s changing. I got a feeling we should too.”

The two were able to get to the surplus room and they were able to open the door. There were only a few crates there, but one in the middle stood out. It was almost made of iron and it seemed to be looking thick from its appearance. The iron crate was indeed sealed by adhesive since Eila tried to pry it open. She did this for a few minutes and gave up there. “Jeez…!!” Eila whined. “What the heck is inside this thing?!”

Sanya held the card attached to that metal crate once. And something made her suspicious. “To Sanya…” She said it in a mutter, and she looked at the writing. It seemed to be matching her own handwriting. “If this is their idea of hubris…”

“Hm?” Eila wondered on what Sanya muttered while looking at the card she held. “Something wrong?”

“I suppose.” Sanya narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she looked at the card. “The handwriting… I don’t know how… But the handwriting is like… like mine.”

“Huh?!” Eila then approached Sanya and looked closely at the card. “Hm. I’m not sure. You were filling out forms and writing letters- wait…” She gulped. “The letter S is somehow similar… Damn… A resemblance?”

“Sounds like a trap to me,” a Karlslander witch’s voice was heard from the door. And the two looked at the appearance of Barkhorn who seemed concerned. “If this crate is really intended for Sanya, why create a handwriting a little too close to home?”

Sanya replied. “Close to mine. I hear you. And I have a feeling whatever’s in this crate isn’t meant for me as supplies.”

“So…” Barkhorn said simply as she looked at the crate. “What do you want to do with it?”

Sanya looked around and knew what had to be done. Closing her eyes, she made her magic work. Her familiar features show up with ears and a tail while activating her Magic Antennae ability. She took a minute to scan around and eventually she gets the idea that there wasn’t a serious threat around them. Opening her eyes and retracting her magic, she replies. “Open it.”

Eila winced at the idea. “You sure?”

Sanya nods but frowns. “You can trust me, Eila. But… I couldn’t sense what’s inside the crate. There’s no sign of sabotage or anything indicating an attack around us, so I think for the most part we’re safe.”

“I trust your judgment,” Barkhorn said, approaching the crate. “Stand back and let me do that. You two should step outside, just in case.” Not receiving as much as a peep from the two, she sees Eila and Sanya nod before they stepped out of the surplus room. “Moment of truth,” she muttered. She then activated her magic, deploying her familiar features in the process before she held the lid of that crate.

Back at the scene of the air incursion, the last Warbird was smoking and about to crash into the water. Shirley sped up and flew down to rescue who seemed to be a door gunner who survived the hits she made together with Lucchini and Clostermann. Speeding down to the craft now out of control, the door man was holding on tight and making sure to stay alert and he didn’t expect to be rescued. Shirley came quick and precise towards him, entering one door entryway and escaping into the other, flying together with the man in question. She noticed he was unconscious, and it made her think it was the impact she had with him that caused it.

The three witches then regrouped, seeing the ATLAS Warbird crashed into the sea. “That takes care them.” Shirley said it just as she noticed the portals are already gone. “Hmph. I don’t think they were here by coincidence.”

“Too right,” Perrine replied. “I smell a plot by ATLAS again…”

“At least we’re gonna get some head-on answers!” Shirley said in excitement as she carried the unconscious grunt in tactical clothing.

Lucchini was stumped by the fact Shirley was carrying someone. “Answers… without any service! Right?”

Perrine blushed. “You’re not serious…”

Shirley laughed at what Lucchini thought. “Next time. Maybe if we’re a bit more lax but-”

“ _OH COME ON!! IT’S ALREADY OVER?!!!_ ” Hartmann said over the radio as she was seen just a distance from the three…

Back at the control tower, Minna was in relief, but that stopped altogether because of a scream from one of the witches in the base. Activating her magic ability, she can track where everyone is. Noticing Sanya was the one who screamed, she leaves the tower and makes her way to where Sanya was.

At the surplus room… Sanya got on her knees, while her face was full of tears as her eyes kept its gaze on the opened iron crate. She grits her teeth, with her emotions mixed with sadness and anger. Eila tried to comfort her, but she pushed Eila physically away. “Don’t touch me!!!”

Barkhorn couldn’t believe what her eyes saw. Sensing Minna’s arrival, she turned to the major with a grim look on her face. “Minna… I…” Looking at Sanya, then back to Minna, she continued. “There was a crate full of body parts and severed heads. All of them looking frozen and preserved in the crate over there.”

Minna looked at the crate and approached it, walking past Sanya who was gathering her emotions. And as Minna put her eyes on the crate’s contents, it’s as Barkhorn has described… arms and severed heads filled the iron crate and it would seem they were frozen to be preserved until it was opened. “Who would…?”

And Barkhorn approached Minna, giving her a card. “One card was on the cover of this crate. This is what’s along with the body parts, so this makes it the second card.”

Then Minna took the card and read the contents aloud. “From us to Sanya Litvyak… the White Lily of Stalingrad. We present her long awaited audience, her long lost parents and an additional innocent. We hope this awaits her, along with her friends who seek to topple a new order to this world. We hope that by giving her this, she would get the message we are trying to deliver: We aren’t just watching. We are scooping the remains of your bloody past, and driving you to your own ruin. We represent the future, whereas you represent the ancient remnants of an old age, which deserves to be erased.”

Barkhorn only felt upset as Minna finishes reading the card, and even noticed Minna intentionally dropped the card. “We’ll get them for this, Minna.” She said this, knowing Minna was shedding a tear quietly.

As for Sanya, she only had sadness to accompany her. She wouldn’t let Eila come near her. To even prove it, she looked at Eila. She saw Eila’s lips, with a message that said she was sorry. “It’s not good enough.” She then paused after saying those words before she stood up and left the surplus room. Eila followed her and even called out to Sanya and tried to hold her hand. But Sanya only shook Eila’s hand away and kept walking.

Eila then saw it was made clear. Sanya needed to be left alone. This made her frown and feel horrible…

**_And about 7 hours later in a vision happening at nighttime…_ **

The image of Sanya Litvyak punching an ATLAS grunt repeatedly even at death was always stuck in Eila’s head, knowing the Orussian would have her own uniform drenched in blood. Sanya’s world was turned upside-down, and Eila couldn’t stop that transition. Just as Sanya looked at Eila, the Suomus witch then saw Sanya’s eyes and made a very accurate prediction: There was a monster in that night witch that was waiting to be unleashed…


	10. Wherever you go I will follow

**_Sanya –_ ** _I thought I could live up to the moment I’d get to see my parents. But as soon as I saw those bodies… I knew I’d be connected to their faces… It wasn’t just because of instinct. But because there was a touch of their memories I’ve seen. And now…_

_…I’m lost without them._

**_1513 hours…_ **

Sanya was right outside the room where the interrogation was happening. And she wasn’t allowed in there. It was as simple as not being able to handle one. That was said by Sakamoto herself. But for once, Mio was wrong. There was something else that’s changed inside Sanya.

And Eila as she observed Sanya didn’t like what’s changed. Accompanying Sanya, she decided to talk to her again. “Sanya… Let Sakamoto and Barkhorn handle it. They’ll make him talk.”

And Sanya gazed at Eila with a calm sense of rage. This made Eila pull back, which for some reason surprised Sanya a bit. “What’s wrong?”

“Your… eyes…” Eila was saying it simply, as she was seeing Sanya’s eyes gradually shifting into a black cat’s eyes for a while there. “You take after your familiar…”

Sanya lowered her gaze to not scare Eila. “It would make sense, really. I fall back into the paws of my own familiar…two pieces of my personality which protects us both. I can’t scare off this side of me now. I have to live with it.” As she spoke to Eila, her eyes slowly return to normal with both its shape and color. “Eila… I’m broken. My much positive self isn’t there for your pleasure anymore.”

“For my pleas- What are you saying?!” Eila was a little offended and glared at Sanya. “Sanya… I didn’t hear you play and sing your piece just because I like it. It’s because you needed to keep your hopes alive.”

“And what if the endgame doesn’t work?” Sanya briefly glared and then chuckled at Sanya. “You’re silly, Eila. Of course hope dies when you least expect it. In the end, it’s for your own pleasure and nothing else.”

“SANYA!!”

“WHAT’S WRONG?! CAN’T DENY THE TRUTH?! YOU SAW MY PARENTS, FLESH AND BLOOD, WHO WERE SEPARATED FROM ME BECAUSE OF WAR! HERE THEY ARE IN PIECES AND WORTH NOTHING TO ME NOW!!!” Sanya shouted her point to Eila and approached the Suomus witch before suddenly pushing Eila’s shoulder back. “Back off, Eila. All you want to do is comfort me against what’s real. It won’t work. Вы так же наивны, как и следующий человек, те, кто верит в надежду, когда ее высоко держат, - это ответ на все вопросы. (You are just as naïve as the next person, those who believe hope when held high is the answer to everything.)” Sanya snorts as soon as she finished that statement. “I know you understood that. You’re just like everybody else.”

Eila was supposed to reply but Sanya just walked past her. Eila couldn’t go after Sanya… not after what Sanya pointed out. But even Eila had no idea how to take this.

In the interrogation room, Mio punches the prisoner, tied to the steel chair where his legs were tied up to the chair’s legs and his hands tied to the rest of the chair. He wears an ATLAS tactical uniform and looks at Mio. He only snorted and lowered his head before spitting at one direction. Then Mio decided to punch him again but was stopped, by none other than Barkhorn herself.

And Barkhorn glared at their prisoner. “I’m only going to make this clear just once, just so we can understand each other. I have the ability to snap twigs just as easily as I can snap the bones of one’s neck… It may not be much to other witches, but those who can’t catch up with our abilities fear us.”

The ATLAS grunt chuckled. “Is that supposed to scare me? I don’t even know what to expect of this world. So I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

Barkhorn snorted and put her hand on his free hand and started to grip it tight. She heard painful groans from him. “It’s only going to be greater if you don’t answer.” And Barkhorn only looked at him, while sensing his resolve as he just glares at her in silence. “Don’t test me. It’s for your own good.”

“Screw you,” the grunt said, gritting his teeth as he groaned in pain more.

And Trude did as what is expected if there wasn’t any answer from the interrogated. Slapping the grunt, he instantly falls unconscious and she lets go of his hand, mostly bruised since she squeezed. “He’s not talking.”

Mio sighs. “Not in the way you’re making him talk.”

“I’ve been instructed. I think when it comes to the enemy, we shouldn’t leave them any room for them to realize they’re being squeezed for answers. They’ll adapt eventually and-” Barkhorn stops talking, interrupted by Mio who puts her hand on Trude’s shoulder. “Hm?”

“We have to try something else.” Sakamoto said just before she holds her eyepatch and lifts it up. Her Magic Eye was there, but for some reason, she was losing magic to it. “Tch... I guess that idea of mine won’t work either.”

“Sakamoto-? What’s happening?” Barkhorn asked, noticing Sakamoto’s magic is fading out. “I didn’t believe what Minna said, but I didn’t know it’s getting this serious.”

“I wish I had more time...” Sakamoto said, closing her eyes feeling guilty. “Sure I have some sort of reputation even without regards to magic, but without it, I’ll just be as good as a witch without her two arms.”

“If she hears you say that, she’ll counter your statement.”

“Yeah. Counter it... even go so far as aim her own sidearm at me to try snapping me out of it.”

“She’s just trying to get you to go far as you can with or without us.” Barkhorn said and sighs. “Look... We’ll find another way to get at least some answers.” She then leaves the interrogation room and Mio follows from behind.

The Commander’s Room didn’t seem to fare any differently. Minna was only seeing Lida take a bottle of Vodka at her own table. Minna would protest to it, but this was Lida’s office. And with what Lida was showing towards the rest of the 501st, she can only put an authoritarian scheme for her leadership.

Lida poured vodka from the bottle to a glass she had on the desk. And without delay, she began to drink from the glass in one gulp before looking at Minna. “It’s not as if I’ve not done this before, you know. While age becomes a witch’s enemy, it’s at least our wisdom that comes in exchange for the magic we lose.”

Minna notices the subject Lida is using and replies. “What are you saying?”

“Just the natural flow of life, I suppose. It’s just something I needed to bring up.” Lida pours another round of vodka onto her glass. “When I heard that Sakamoto herself is starting to succumb to that natural flow, I knew that it becomes the fate for all of us. How true this becomes... when we all accept it.” Lida then raises her glass and attempts to drink it, but Minna stopped her hand before Lida would have a chance to sip that drink. “Major?”

“I know what you’re thinking about and it’s not going to work.” Minna said this, lowering Lida’s hand. And with Minna’s free hand, she takes the glass off Lida’s and puts it on the desk. “The last thing we need is sympathy from you.”

“I’m beginning to sense I’m about to be threatened here, Major. You shouldn’t forget who you’re speaking to.” Lida gives a deathly glare at Minna. “Or did you just put that aside altogether?”

“I never forgot you had the higher rank, but you have the worse for wear on your own judgment.” Minna scoffed at Lida before continuing. “I had a talk with someone about some actions concerning your behavior in the past. Starting with the time Sanya was training when she was still in the 586th Fighter Regiment.”

Lida seemed to be upset that some of her information would get out to Minna’s mind. “How did you-?!”

“Picking a target just because she’s shown considerable talents and being put to good use shouldn’t be the reason of you picking on her. I know, because I’ve seen problems after having tolerated bullies.” Minna continues, seeing Lida’s fear start to sink in. “And you have the nerve. I don’t care what you’ve done to put those papers on us just to have her discredited. On all the years she’s served with the 501st, her psychology is far from what you were trying to point out to us. But you’re not listening to what her ability has to say: While she doesn’t use it to guide her actions, she wholly takes it as reference for her to make a move. She has a tactical advantage in the field, and it was never considered a mentally-impairing advantage. Up to now, her psychology wasn’t questioned by anyone else except you.” And Minna made a connecting statement that should normally put her at risk as an officer for an accusation. “You’re only using those documents to turn us away from Eila, so that Sanya wouldn’t have anyone to protect her.”

Lida was smiling at Minna. “Well done. So... Major... Is my psychology for command in question?”

“It isn’t just because it’s the obvious, but it’s because you’ve only found this a more convenient time to get closer to her.” Minna said this, and what came next didn’t seem to make sense.

Lida laughs wholeheartedly, even with her stance as the obvious bully of the unit. It took less then a minute before she stops and looks at Minna, now with confidence. “I suppose you’ll be reporting me for psychological problems that would cause me to be deemed unfit for duty.”

“You haven’t led us to oblivion, yet. But who knows?” Minna then heads to the door, now starting to get annoyed of her commanding officer. She stopped, just as she slightly opens the door. “You should know. Something snapped in Sanya when she found her parents in that crate. She was the one who told me about you and she told me in the manner where she wouldn’t be shying back from telling anything sensitive. I doubt it was easy, but it was a side I never saw from her before.”

“And you believe her?”

“I do.” Minna answered that before she headed out the room and closed the door behind her.

Lida only lowers her gaze and grits her teeth. She took a few minutes to reflect. And when she’s finished reflecting, she grabs the bottle of vodka before throwing it to the wall across her, spilling the contents. ‘ _That’s it. I’m done with her... both of them... all of you._ ’

**_ATLAS Mobile HQ..._ **

**_1624 hours..._ **

The monitor was showing drone surveillance over the base where the 501st was stationed, in Sicily. The main camera was focused on Minna leaving Lida behind in the Commander’s room, and the fact that Lida had thrown a bottle of alcoholic drink to a wall.

As Dana watched the scene unfold through a mix of X-Ray optics and realtime optics, she knew that this was the break she needed. And so, she went to Jonathan Irons, visiting his private room and playing the clip to him. The sounds were amplified, so the conversation between Minna and Lida was recorded.

Irons was deep in thought after the clip had finished playing. “One of our drones captured this?”

“I had to get through the net just for it. The cloak was most useful.” Dana replied this and smiled. “I think this is a good time as any, Irons. If we take down the 501st and leave none alive, I think we’ll be going far ahead.”

Genie, who was listening, appeared in a holographic form in the quarters, showing her blue glow as part of identity. “Do you think it would be as easy as that?”

“Maybe if we push some of your Neuroi and work together with ATLAS forces.” Dana looks at Genie. “After all... We’re friends.”

“Hm. Peaceful coexistence after a hard long conflict.” Genie was intrigued and nodded. “I think we’ll be admiring each other after this. I’ll pour in the forces from the motherships and focus on the 501st.”

“Hm. The losses should count on our victory, you know. It would be best if your Neuroi don’t suffer so much.” Dana’s concern was noted from Genie.

“We can still manage after we crush them. The whole world’s still far from being conquered. We’re just taking our first step, Miss Caulfield.” She then looks at Irons. “Mister Irons... Your call to form a strategy for an attack on the base at Sicily awaits us. We’ll be attacking as soon as our potential defector would come to join us.”

Dana sighs. “We can both extract her and attack the base. I think I can still set up a conversation with her. It’ll begin as soon as a signal comes from her.”

Jonathan then favors Dana’s suggestion. “I got no problems taking down an entire base, but there’s the safety of anyone who’s more valuable to the company than they realize. Caulfield, you got my permission to set up a meet or conduct a remote conversation with her. Genie, until that intended signal comes, you’re only to prep your forces and converge at Sicily, but not so close as to make the enemy suspicious of your movements.”

“I understand,” Genie said, before looking at Dana. “Then it comes down to you.”

“Of course,” Dana replied with a mischievous smile before leaving the room.

Genie sighs, knowing she has something else in her mind. “I have a feeling she’d want to leave a personal touch during this assault. Crushing a whole joint fighter wing would require tact.”

“I think we’ll be fine as long as everyone would do as intended in their roles. We’ve already pissed off one witch, and possibly made her explosive. That Litvyak girl must be looking for blood by now.” Irons pointed it out and expected a statement from Genie. It wasn’t immediate, so he looked for signs of trouble from her. “Something wrong?”

“I’m just going to say it,” Genie said in reply. “Be careful what you wish for.”

“I’m not wishing for anything. She’s as much of a threat just as the next resisting witch.”

“Be that as it may, but one could always make a difference.” Genie said that just before her holographic image fades from his room, leaving Irons alone.

**_Sicily base..._ **

**_1845 hours…_ **

Kathryn was looking at the gravestone planted on one side of the base where there’s good soil. Lina Lieber’s name was on that tablet. And Kathryn was just reminded of what happened on that day... Kuhn was just walking to the grave noticing Kathryn was already there. “Captain,” Kuhn called.

Kathryn looked at Kuhn briefly then back to the gravestone. “Hera.”

And Kuhn was surprised of what Kathryn said. “Been a while since you’ve called me by my first name.”

“All we’ve done is always respect each other by rank, but things have changed.” Kathryn looked at Kuhn, now sure of her intent. “Sisterhood counts for us. Remember that. We may not always see eye to eye, but we agree on what’s best for the unit.”

Hera nods. “Lina is usually the first to support you.”

“Yeah. And now she’s dead.” Kathryn Bolton briefly looks at the gravestone, then back to Kuhn’s eyes. “Call up the rest of the squad. While our transport isn’t here yet, I need to say something while we still have time.”

**_Somewhere way south in Africa…_ **

Darkness surrounded the cave, but that didn’t stop someone from entering it, descending down a chasm that she dared to see for herself. Until then, Hanna didn’t feel fear. Now, she feels as if the world needed to go and descend, holding only a flashlight with a charge that lasts for hours. Climbing down carefully seemed to be her goal and she’s wearing boots that were suitable for climbing. But even she doubts she can climb up easily.

And she stops, when she noticed the chasm’s crack halted a feet below. ‘ _All I’m seeing below me now is just pure space. This is bad. Nothing is-_ ’ And suddenly as she was in her thoughts, the rocks she was holding on to gave way, like it had been brittle. She lost grip and fear kicked in as she started to fall. She grits her teeth, refusing to roll her body and kept her flashlight down, descending deeper into the chasm… ‘ _No…! I refuse to die! Not when I’ve come this far!!!_ ’ As soon as she closed her eyes, she didn’t realize that her perception of reality had changed. And as she opened them again, she suddenly found herself lying down on some sort of bed. Looking up, she’s seeing that the ceiling was made of stone bricks. It suggested a familiar building in Egypt: Pyramids. And it didn’t make sense. She sat up on the bed before she looked around. She was seeing ancient tools, ones that are used to operate in medical terms. She didn’t study enough history, but she’s able to recognize a few of them. Doctors and physicians who didn’t learn of magic, learned how to use those tools for healing purposes.

“ _Impressive, aren’t they?_ ” A woman in her forties said this, wearing an ancient physicians’ robe on her as she walked into the room. “I see you’ve found this place. Then my predictions of being discovered around this time were right. It would seem you’re a visitor, Miss Marseille.”

Hanna narrowed her eyes before she dismounts from the bed and activates her familiar, showing her features as she goes on an alerted state. “You could try to tell me where I am and tell how you know me.”

“Oh, you don’t need to be too meticulous on every detail. In fact, I already know why you’re here in the first place.” The woman said and approached Hanna herself. “I am called Dreda. Probably one of the fewest of physicians who combines magic and traditional practice of medicine. I wouldn’t know so much of others because I’m usually isolated like the rest.” She stops just a foot away from Marseille, who was just a foot taller than she is. “So you’re here to learn about the extension of one’s possession of magic.”

Hanna winced at this and felt that her pride for keeping secrets was hurt. “Have you… always known?”

“My purpose, whether I like it or not, is to imbue knowledge of it, while I’m also aware it brings consequences. Witches far and wide tried to find this place but only a few are able to succeed, and lines of witches have their magic last longer. And at each generation as the legends are being brought out as myths, I keep entertaining visitors here, hard as they are to find around the world. And I want to congratulate you… because you found me.” Dreda said this, and saw that Hanna retracted her magic as well as the familiar features on her body. “Good. It seems you want to learn it.”

“Um…” Hanna spoke to try and get answers. “The myth of the hidden physician tells that you train someone chosen for years, but in turn as those chosen leave, it would have only been minutes. Dreda, you were responsible for the greats that have been appearing in millennia. Can’t say that lightly, because I think you really want to be found.”

“Heh. Only a small passage of time gets wasted before the next comes. And it takes years for me to teach one at a time. So I think the effort is worth it. Plus… I don’t age as much as the normal people do. It’s a curse passed down to me, the final physician who’s earned it. There were three others before me. And now I’m serving you so that you would learn it.” Dreda chuckled. “Are you ready?”

Hanna nods. “This takes years… right?”

“Yes, but passage of time in your world is not relevant here. In fact… By the time you’ve finished here, you’d have only spent minutes in your world space. You will feel like it was a dream. And trust me… You would feel more like it than ever before.”

“There are those who need this treatment. Direct application. I don’t know if I’d make it… I…” Hanna was stopped in her thoughts as a hand lands on her shoulder. Dreda is assuring Hanna otherwise.

And she knows what she’s talking about. “Trust in your return, Miss Marseille. You won’t be disappointed about what you’re about to know from me.”

And in only a few minutes… she experienced years of expertise, concerning methods of physician and magic practice. She wasn’t the same afterwards…

**_Desert expanse… Africa…_ **

**_1423 hours…_ **

Charlotte Lueder was waiting next to a jeep next to what appears to be a sinkhole with a connecting cave inside it. She knew that Hanna would come back for a while, but she didn’t expect it would take an hour there. Wearing a hat to shield herself from the hot sun, she kneeled down to look deeper into the sinkhole, but her vision can only go so far. The depth of that sinkhole connected to rocks of that chasm was so deep, that when she even shouts Hanna’s name, a long echo could be heard from where she is. “Hanna… Where are you…?” And she heard a distant scream from below while a spark of light was seen from the middle of the darkness of the sinkhole. “Hanna…?” She muttered this to herself and kept looking at the spark of light. She then heard steps of climbing from the rocks and was shocked with what she saw next… It was Hanna, climbing up with the use of her body while her arms and legs were assisting. Charlotte could only reach her arm into the cave for Hanna to reach. “Hanna…!! Are you okay?!!”

Hanna could only look at Charlotte from the darkness and smiled. “If you think I wasn’t… I wouldn’t be climbing back up.” She kept climbing up with ease before she eventually got to Charlotte and grabbed her hand before was assisted out of the sinkhole cave.

Charlotte pulls Hanna out of the sinkhole and she finds that the sinkhole was getting filled with sand quickly. And just in time, she sees that the sinkhole was immediately getting buried by the sand that was around it. She couldn’t explain it, but it was as if the cave wasn’t deep for just a few seconds when it completely got filled. And eventually, the sinkhole was completely filled until the enclosure no longer exists. “What the…? It’s…” Charlotte knelt again to try and feel the sinkhole, but the sand was so deep and hard. It was like there was nothing there anymore but common sand. “There used to be a sinkhole here…!”

“Yeah. We both know.” Hanna said it, and she got a glance from Charlotte, who in a second later was surprised by what she saw. “What?” Hanna asked, troubled by what Charlotte was seeing.

“Hanna… Your face…” Charlotte then ran to the jeep to get something. Bringing out a small mirror, she walked back to Hanna and gave it to her. Charlotte wasn’t kidding when she saw the tattoos, with tribal lining stretching from the chin up to the eyes. The black tattoos can also be seen by Hanna as the mirror was revealing it to the owner. “I don’t know why they’re there but… What happened in that chasm?”

Hanna sighed, finding her own face was tattooed. She then looked at her gloved hand. Removing her glove, she noticed there were also tribal-lined tattoos on the fingers and her palm. “What happened was… Years became minutes to me. I need to test something, and it may come as a shock to you.” Hanna said this in a mature way that was also straight to Lueder. “Do you trust me?”

“I… I do.” Charlotte replied that, acknowledging what Hanna was about to do next. She was told to stand straight just before Hanna gently pulled Charlotte’s arm out. Using two fingers that Hanna first touched at Charlotte’s wrist, then at her elbow, an effect takes place at Charlotte’s senses. Where there was warmth from her elbow to her wrist, she grits her teeth, when she felt it was suddenly cold. She knelt, trying to understand the coldness of her arm from her elbows to her fingers. “What the…? Hanna… What is this…?! It’s so cold…”

“A complex formation of inverse temperature spells applied to your nerves, from your elbow to your fingers. See how that took a short while?” Hanna explained that, seeing that Charlotte was experiencing the cold from one part of her body when in fact it was hot around them.

“M-make it stop!!! It’s creepy when I’m feeling like this…!” Charlotte couldn’t stand feeling cold on her arm when the rest of her body feels otherwise. “This is next level… Uhhhn…!!!” She saw Hanna kneel next to her and applied fingers from her wrist, and again to her elbows, before making a gesture of closing her own hand to cover her palm. Soon, Charlotte was starting to gain warmth again from her arm. “I’m… back to normal?”

Hanna nods, eventually closing her eyes and concentrating. She was removing the appearance of her tattoos from her body, and it was fading from her face and her hand. “You seem to be. For others, I’d appear normal too.”

“You’re… you’re like a goddess. I couldn’t understand it, but… There was magic application in it but I couldn’t see it!” Charlotte said that while seeing Hanna stand up and offer her arm. “What… are you?”

Hanna sighs, eventually helping Charlotte to stand. “One word describes me: Great.” As she helped Charlotte up, she walks to the jeep. “But for my reputation to work in reality, I have to prove it. Charlotte, you experienced it first-hand. I want you to be there for this to come into fruition.”

Charlotte follows Hanna as they boarded the jeep. “Wherever you go… I’ll follow.” She said it just as Hanna started the jeep.

**_Hanna –_ ** _Years of expertise and so many things were open to me. It’ll take time for everyone to see what I’ve learned, but I have an obligation to everyone in the world first, especially to a Fuso witch I’ve gotten to take interest of. It’s time I see her, and soon…_

**_Sicily Base, Romagna…_ **

**_1853 hours…_ **

Kathryn was able to gather the Joint Special Force unit. Georgia Paulsen, Hera Kuhn, Yoshikawa Michiko, and Helena Maximoff gathered right next to Lina Leiber’s gravestone. And the captain started out her speech. “Now more than ever, I think I want to make things clear. We shouldn’t isolate ourselves from other witches. We’re the only ground reconnaissance unit that has ever existed, save for tank striker units in Africa and other parts of the world. But we’re usually the ones who are first to clear out undesirables from the dirtiest parts. It doesn’t just include Neuroi, but anything domestic-wise too. That scarred each of us ever since we started working together. So… As soon as I’m able to talk to a commanding officer, I’ll be asking that we’d be a special forces unit to closely assist a joint fighter wing.” As she stated that, the other four were paying closer attention to her. “We’ve been hands-on for quite a while that we’ve been forgetting to settle down when we feel like it. We’ve been taking dirty laundry longer than we realize, and we should start being part of a family. And what do we feel when each operation arises for us?”

Helena decided to answer for Kathryn. “I’d say we feel like lost orphans.”

Yoshikawa replied next. “Agreed. We’ve… been nothing but devoted to our tasks, Captain.”

“And we’ve lost Lina in that devotion.” Kuhn spoke next. “I think my definition of luck is different from the rest of you guys.”

“Eh, my luck isn’t really changing.” Paulsen replied next. “Because I don’t believe in an inch of it.”

Kathryn sighs, hearing the different inputs of her teammates. “Believe what you all have to. But we’ve been operating for the world’s armed forces hands-on way too long for three years. I think it was about time we’re aligned to a primary unit until we all split up.”

Kuhn then spoke up. “So which unit do you have in mind then?”

“The 501st.” Kathryn replied. “Until recently, we’ve only known that their unit is composed of fly-witches. There’s no ground force unit that’s known to be formidable except for MG-units mounted on their jeeps. If it’s still possible, we could extend our stay with the unit until this war blows over. Because I don’t believe the war will always be over. Not with how the Neuroi had allied with the new faction. We’re going to try and hold our ground with them… for as long as it takes. Because if there’s going to be something I’d value… it’s family.” The other four seemed to take this well, even giving Kathryn smiles from Yoshikawa and Kuhn. “We’ve been given secret tasks long enough. I’m doing this for our sake. Our existence is always brief, but we make the most of it.”

“Brief existence with good memories?” Paulsen replied. “I think I’m all down for it, Ma’am.”

Yoshikawa nods. “We’ll face this road together. I’m in.”

Maximoff speaks next. “Would Lida even allow this? Well… I don’t care! I don’t answer to her anyway!” She exhibits a hearty laugh.

Kuhn was the only one remaining, and looked at Kathryn. The other three looked at her for that response, and Hera nods. “I think we’re taking a step in the right direction. Plus… Lina didn’t get a chance to settle down with a unit except ours. This was her family. And I’m glad to know that ours gets to join another to make us more formidable. Kathryn, I’m with you.”

“Thank you,” Kathryn said this and she had the other four join her in a hug. “It was a long while since we talked like this…”

Meanwhile… Eila was at Sanya’s bed in their room. She was alone with the lights on and she figured Sanya would be there. No luck. It seemed Sanya already left for the hangar for tonight’s patrol. But something else was seen on Sanya’s bed. Besides with the sheet properly fixed on the bed, there was a note that was left there. Eila then took it in her hand and read the contents of it.

Taking a few minutes, she took every word of Sanya’s writing into mind and dropped the card. Immediately running out of the room and onto the corridor in tears, she was rushing to the hangar. “No, you idiot…!!” She muttered that to herself as she kept running.

And Sanya at this time was already in the air in her striker unit, not carrying her usual Fliegerhammer, but a Bren Light Machine Gun instead. There was also a bag strapped on her back when she flew away from the base. Keeping her abilities activated, she kept scanning for hostiles with her Magic Antennae. One thing in her mind resonated throughout her flight: ‘ _For their sake… they don’t deserve me… not in the state I’m in. Hope was the only thing that kept me afloat. With that gone… I’d rather live differently._ ’

And before she knew it, she was already at a great distance, travelling westward towards the Alboran Sea...

**_Sanya –_ ** _Dear Eila… I have to be honest about this. I’ve changed… after what’s happened. I’ll never find my center so easily ever again. And the value of family had suddenly dissipated. And with the values Minna had been able to entrust onto all of us, I feel as if I’m going to hurt everybody. I can’t stand that the 501 st would change, which is why I must leave to prevent that hurt to come. Eila… if you read this, please don’t come for me. Don’t even remember me. Don’t even remember that we were closer than just friends. It’s better if you forget me. For our own good… For the good of the world. Because for my sake… I’ll be hunting down my parents’ killers myself. _

_Goodbye… Sanya._

In a round monitor, a night witch was flying in high altitude. The perspective was coming from a Neuroi submarine that was cloaked from the surface. And looking at the monitor was Genie herself, humanoid in form and having a fantastic body, partially resembling as a human with the rest of her body blue in color along with her eyes. She watched the monitor with the night witch continuously flying away from the base at Sicily. And recognizing that appearance, she half-expected Sanya would run away. It seems Genie was right, because Sanya isn’t following the usual patrol route.

This made Genie chuckle. “All according to plan. It seems it actually worked. Now… They’re vulnerable.”


	11. Downfall

**_Eila –_ ** _It was too late… I got here way too late. Well… I don’t care. Sanya isn’t going anywhere. Not yet._

**_Sicily base, occupied by the 501 st JFW…_ **

**_1913 hours…_ **

Eila at that time didn’t have anything else in her mind as she arrived in the hangar. She already accepted that Sanya left. But what she couldn’t accept, was Sanya’s reason. While Sanya was stubborn enough not to listen to the hearts of her friends, Eila wouldn’t listen to the nature Sanya had shown in the letter she left for Eila. And now, the Suomus witch was removing the chains to her own striker unit.

_I’m nowhere near accepting you’re doing this just for us. You’re doing this to satisfy your blood lust… Well I’m not having it!!!_

Meanwhile, Kathryn and Minna were talking to each other accompanied by Mio Sakamoto.

Minna was listening intently at Kathryn’s request to transfer to the 501st, she made a reply after a few minutes. “As much as we want get your squad the spots in the fighter wing, I need to be sure you can use strikers.”

“Maybe the term Special Forces didn’t seem to make you think.” Kathryn smirked at Minna. “We can handle striker units in the air just fine. We even had training on the use of underarmored land strikers, but our specialty is infantry recon. Remember… It only took two years of training before we got deployed as a reconnaissance squad.”

“It seems you’re very valuable,” Mio said in reply. “You shouldn’t ignore the needs of the various militaries in the world.”

“I know.” Kathryn sighs before she starts to explain. “It’s just the fact that we’ve lost one and it’s our very first casualty. Through our years of fighting, we began to think everything we’ve been doing was taken for granted. Thanks to Lina’s death, we thought we were rather to assertive as witches. It isn’t about true duty and loyalty that always counts to me, but preservation. Our beliefs set us apart from different units, so we were kinda vulnerable when values come to question.”

Minna gently snorts. “Last I checked, you had no problems killing people too, even if it is our enemy.”

“ATLAS is getting what’s coming to them. What I’m saying is… It’s part of our job. If the job stains us, so be it. Hey… We’re all getting human kills recently. Not like our values changed.” Kathryn was on point for that and chuckled.

Suddenly, Minna gets a radio transmission from her earpiece. “ _Major, do you hear me?!_ ”

“Tower go ahead,” Minna replied. “What’s happened?!”

“ _We got an unsanctioned launch from the hangar… stand by for identity… Eila Juutilainen is taking off._ ”

“Eila…?!” Minna was surprised of who was leaving the base. Kathryn and Mio weren’t kept in the loop, so she gave them earpieces each. She then started to job towards a corridor that leads to the hangar. “Eila, it’s Minna! What are you doing?!”

“ _Major, I’m going after Sanya!_ ” Eila replied. “ _She’s not on patrol! She left a note in our room saying she’ll be leaving!! I can’t let her go!_ ”

“What?! Can you contact her?!”

“ _I wouldn’t be talking to you if I couldn’t!_ ”

“I’m checking in with the tower. Stand by.” Minna made a sharp turn to a corridor that leads to the hangar. “Tower, give Juutilainen Sanya Litvyak’s last known heading!!”

At this time, Lida was listening at dark part of the base. She had an earpiece and she just used it to listen in to the conversation. She then saw two witches on striker units take off. ‘ _I’m guessing Sakamoto is getting left behind on this one,_ ’ she thought.

“ _It’s an interesting thing to watch from where I am,_ ” Dana’s voice was suddenly heard, just discreetly from speakers. Lida could tell it was Dana but she’s nowhere to be seen. “ _I’m using an invisible unmanned drone to speak to you. Don’t be alarmed. It’s still me… just… at a distance._ ”

“Tch. What do you want?”

“ _This is a good time as ever to get you out of here. With four witches off the base, it’s more vulnerable._ ”

“Vulnerable? To what?”

“ _An attack. A combined assault between ATLAS and the Neuroi headed by an ally of ours will be conducted on that same base. You just need to give us a signal if you wish for it, because once you do, we’re not heading back against it._ ”

“No. This isn’t a good time. I had an idea Sanya Litvyak would leave, much to my dismay, but this isn’t a good time. Not yet. I haven’t even moved onto Eila Juutilainen yet.”

“ _So what are you going to do? Kill her? Let me give you advice: Don’t take your chances with what you plan to do with her. This is a good chance to successfully knock them out for good! The 504 th was mostly eliminated! Don’t take this personally, Lida!! One less fighter wing will make things easier t-_”

“I SAID NO!!” Lida swung her arm while deploying her familiar features. That arm swung on instinct went to the exact place where the drone was. And as she hit it with her closed hand, the cloak temporarily disengaged and it spun out of control for a second before it stabilized in flight. She looked at the drone and glared at wherever its eyes may be. “Everything is personal to me, Caulfield… A pathetic wretch ruining me in front of my first officer is unforgivable. Sanya is frail no matter what she’s turned into.”

The drone is able to cloak itself again and Dana replied. “ _You’re really just going to ruin it all, aren’t you? We’re not discussing this. If you plan to ruin things, do it the right way. Work with us._ ”

Lida had to decide again, to turn away from the opportunity or believe in her own plans. But then Dana had a point. Her personal gains could be short-lived if she gets caught anyway, so it would be best for the alternative. Sighing in defeat, she replied. “What do you want me to do?”

“ _Wise choice, Lida. I know exactly what to do. If you have mortars as additional weapons in a standard base like that, you should also have illuminating cartridges._ ”

“Ah. Then I think we got a plan indeed.” Lida smirked, before walking to the direction of the base’s armory.

The base’s mess hall was somehow almost quiet while lit just earlier. Barkhorn and Lynette were there just waiting for some simple warm soup they liked to have. And Yoshika was preparing it.

Lynette sighs while waiting with Trude. “Flight Lieutenant, you think Yoshika will be finished yet?”

“You’re underestimating our own cook,” Barkhorn spoke flatly in reply. “Joking aside, you should consider that she can cook anything now that she’s happier. Rumors spread around. I heard you confessed to her.”

Lynette blushed seeing Barkhorn just saying like she was casual with it. “W-where did you hear that?”

“Told you. Rumors.”

“It’s a small base for those rumors and there’s just us around!” Lynette slightly shouted at Barkhorn just as Yoshika was bringing a tray with two bowls of soup.

Yoshika seemed to have noticed the conversation was heated up, at least one sided coming from Lynette. She decided to join in while serving the soup. “Um… Why are you two fighting?”

Barkhorn chuckled. “That’s exaggerating it. Your girlfriend’s defending herself from the rumors you two had.”

“Eh?!” Yoshika then sat down, satisfied to see Barkhorn and Lynette sip the soup from the spoons she provided. “Don’t tell me it’s-”

Lynette sighs while she blows on the warm soup. “I had a feeling it’s Perrine. She likes it when we talk about love… She’s the only one I was able to tell about this.”

Barkhorn was sipping soup when she noticed Perrine and Hera Kuhn was coming in. “Well… this became interesting.”

And as Perrine was coming into the mess hall with Hera, she immediately got a glare from Lynette. “What?”

“Why don’t you tell me yourself?” Lynette said that before snorting at the Gallian.

Then Barkhorn smirked at Perrine. “Great job spreading it around.”

“Huh?! You mean Yoshika and Lynette? I only told Hartmann, that’s all!” Perrine then winced at the realization. Hartmann and Barkhorn were roommates. “Oh.”

“Am I missing something?” Hera asked, scratching her head.

“Nothing new,” Barkhorn replied. “Hey, sit with us. Perrine, you too.”

Hera wanted to back out, but Perrine pulled her in anyway. Sitting with Barkhorn, Bishop and Miyafuji, they were talking about activities they were each having and the plans for the Joint Special Forces to integrate into the 501st Joint Fighter Wing…

Barkhorn was just sipping from her soup bowl when she made her reply. “I think it’ll do us good if you guys can handle yourselves in multiple striker types. I mean… The Wing wasn’t equipped with land strikers.”Kuhn replied next. “That’s the thing. We were only being prepared in case we do have to use striker units in an emergency or if there’s a new standard imposed on us. Since Kathryn thought of it for us, the rest of us agreed. I think we’re pretty much covered when it comes to joining a family. Besides… We owe it to Lina.”

The table felt almost silent as Kuhn mentioned Lina’s name to the others.

Perrine sighs. “We don’t hear every day of witches getting killed. I suppose it was just new to us. Now that the damage is done, we have to adapt.”

“Easier said than done,” Yoshika replied. “When I first encountered human deaths from human kills, it felt like the world was ending and no one was safe. The only thing that got me out of that thinking is that I’m given a chance to recover. Lynette isn’t just someone who I love. She’s helping me cope too.” Yoshika explained this while she was looking at Lynette. Since she was already beside Lynette, she was leaned on and kissed at her cheek.

Barkhorn winced at this and felt as if she should be happy though she didn’t smile. “Um…”

Kuhn smirked at Barkhorn. “Not a normal occurrence for dykes in the base?”

“Not really. It just hasn’t gotten to personal display yet. Sanya and Eila for example.” Perrine replied for Trude since the latter didn’t know how to answer about the presence of dykes in the unit.

Barkhorn sighs. “Yes, what she said.”

“What I said? It’s true.”

“Can we please not make it an issue right now?” Barkhorn requested that from Perrine just as she heard the mess hall door open up. Mio Sakamoto was in a very serious mood. “Squadron Leader?”

“Barkhorn. A word. Now.” Mio said it urgently. And it would seem Barkhorn wasn’t one to delay as she stood up from her seat.

Yoshika watched Barkhorn walk to Mio and make whispers as the two officers walked away. She couldn’t make out what that was about. “I wonder what’s going on?”

Once Trude and Mio were alone, Mio was relaying information, which Trude was later pissed about. “You mean to tell me Sanya is planning to go AWOL?!”

“Not exactly. She left a note for Eila, and she was the first to pursue Sanya. Minna’s gone to the air with Captain Bolton. We’re gonna have to stand on alert while this is happening. We still have to be careful if the enemy decides to attack this base or-” Mio stopped at one thought of herself not to be relied on.

Barkhorn observed Mio hesitating to speak. “Mio, what’s up?”

“This is how it has to be, isn’t it?” Mio said as she stopped walking before looking at Trude. “I’m getting less and less weaker from magic I thought I could still possess, but it’s beginning to be the end of the road faster than I anticipated. I was practicing to keep my shields strong but… The shield I was deploying recently couldn’t even stop bullets effectively. Barkhorn… I’m gonna have to be on the ground almost the whole time when the worse does happen. You and Shirley have to put differences aside and decide who’s taking my place behind Minna in the formation. It’s up to you two to keep everyone in check-”

“Mio! Stop.” Barkhorn demanded that from Mio and didn’t get another word from the superior while she spoke. “We know what we have to do when the time comes. You don’t need to keep beating yourself and telling that you’re ineffective. Just be as you are as long as you could.”

“Well then… Do me a favor and stop relying on me in the air then.” Mio replied a straight answer to Barkhorn’s advice. “With that, I think we’ll be even.”

“No sorties from now on, huh? Hard request to make, but I think Minna’s going to listen to you.” Barkhorn said it assuring Mio that request can come through smoothly. “I think this side of you is something I appreciate. You don’t stop in your duties no matter if your magic is fading or not.” As she made that statement, Barkhorn noticed someone running… a male soldier. “Soldier, what is it?!”

The soldier then brought out an earpiece from his pocket. “Commander Lida needed to speak to you on her own frequency. She says it’s urgent.”

Barkhorn looked at Mio, who also looked back at her. “I gotta take this.”

“Do what you have to. I’ll wake Shirley up for tonight. We need a few hours more of readiness in case Sanya’s return doesn’t go well.” Mio said it just before she walked away, leaving Barkhorn and the soldier alone.

As Trude takes the earpiece from the soldier and having told him to leave her, she puts it on her ear and activates it. “This is Barkhorn. Commander? Why the special frequency?”

“ _Because I’m not choosing to alarm the others. There’s a complication with Sanya’s return and I’m setting up mortar positions. We’re firing flares out._ ” Lida said it while she’s heard grunting like she’s carrying something. “Find me at the runway.”

“I’m on my way,” Barkhorn said before she started walking. “Landing problems?”

“ _Not exactly. I’d rather have us set up the mortars and fire the flares immediately when we’re done. Just get over here._ ” Lida’s voice was one of desperation. Trude didn’t mind this, as long as there’s a reason for the Commander’s behavior.

Meanwhile, Minna was still flying with Kathryn while way behind Eila’s trail. She decided to get a SITREP from her since it’s been a while. “Juutilainen, it’s me. Has the situation changed?”

“ _No. Negative. I still can’t catch up to her… Can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think she might have an idea she’d be following me. One way she’s doing that is that she’s speeding herself up._ ”

“And that’s by diving down and riding the wind. Eila, I want you to do the same thing.”  
  


“ _Won’t that bring us far from radio contact?!_ ”

“Just do it, Eila! She trusts you, and this unit is a family concerned of one of their own.”

“ _I… Understood!_ ” Eila replied this just before the comms were cut.

Kathryn analyzed the conversation and spoke up. “Looks like Eila and Sanya have a certain type of relationship.”

“It’s a relationship that goes beyond friendship. Those two have gone through thick and thin when they were in the service and going on rotations in Europe. As much as Eila wants to admit less of her misadventures, something’s in her heart… something that always concerns Sanya’s deepest concerns for everyone’s safety. I noticed that when they both just got to Romagna.”

“And I thought you’re the type who overlooks the attitudes of your subordinates.”

“In the contrary, my own senses don’t deceive me. Details of each one in the unit are always taken as factors in their career.” Minna said this just before using her earpiece again to contact Eila. “I’m gonna get a report if I can. Juutilainen, report.” And she got static in response to contacting anyone in the distance she thinks she has with Eila. “Juutilainen. Respond.”

“Looks like she’s out of transmission range. Don’t worry. We’ll get them.” Kathryn’s assurance calms Minna down and they both stay silent for a duration of the flight.

Back at the base, Barkhorn and Lida set up two mortars on the runway. They both had illumination rounds on their hands and some more are on the ground on where they are.

Lida then puts her round on the mortar’s barrel. “We’re gonna be dropping both of them down at the same time so it’ll have the brightness they need.”

“Okay!” Barkhorn positioned her round at the barrel of her mortar. “Ready!”

And as Lida counted, she released her round, letting it slide down on the mortar tube just the same as Barkhorn’s round did with hers. Just a millisecond interval apart, the two mortar rounds were launched upwards just before the flare activates itself 500 meters off the ground. The minor noise isn’t warranted to attract suspicious attention from other witches just being casual, as what Lida expected.

Barkhorn looked at the flare lights working as they should. “Flares are bright and above us. Now what-” And she got interrupted by something sticking on her neck. It pinched her so it was slightly painful. After reaching it with her hand, she realized for a quick second it was a dart that hit her. She confirmed it by looking at the dart that shot her. “What-?” And suddenly, she lost her feeling to her arms and legs. She grits her teeth and groans in pain, forcing her to get on her knees and balance her sitting with her feet which were barely working with what was inside her system. She then looked ahead of her, seeing Lida smirk at Trude. And recognizing the kind of smug look one has, Trude assumed she was tricked. “So this is how it’s got to be, huh?!”

“I decided long ago that if there’s nothing to keep me amused in this world, I’d join a side which forces everyone’s eyes to lose sight of what they want.” Lida then brought out her pistol and aimed it right at Trude’s forehead. “My goal is endless war, or the next fight and the next fight until I’m no longer needed. It just stemmed from me, you know.”

“I can guess whose side you’re on now.” Barkhorn said it, glaring at Lida while she tries to summon her magic. Though she deployed her familiar features, she’s still helpless with her own arms and legs not being able to move. “You support a man of his army of killers of families.”

“We’re all killers in a sense.” Lida said this, poking the barrel of her pistol more onto Barkhorn’s forehead. “Neuroi have lives too. So do you.”

As Lida was speaking, Barkhorn could sense a humanoid decloaking beside Lida. And she couldn’t believe what was in front of her: A human having outlines and pentagon-shaped scales on her body while having clothing representing her place in the Neuroi of blue. What’s more is… The human girl’s appearance while also having Neuroi traits, was very similar to a picture Trude had a memory of. Although this girl seemed older than the age Trude knows, the eyes, hair and facial features don’t lie.

And Trude’s instincts kick in. She spoke the human-hybrid’s name:

“Chris…?” She spoke her younger sister’s name.


	12. Downfall pt. 2

**_Earlier… Several days ago…_ **

**_ATLAS MOBILE HQ…_ **

Irons was looking at the detailed anatomical chart on the large table in the briefing room. This made him smile, as the chart was right beside other holographic windows.

**_Irons –_ ** _I had to be sure that the research on enhanced augmentation was completed when we’re already in the world, and it’s like clockwork. With this research and the applications to it proven a success, it’s only a matter of time until this comes into fruition._

Genie then began to appear on the holographic table in her glowing blue form. Before greeting Jonathan, she was briefly looking at the holographic files. “Looks like you’re able to find comfort in that research. Four years and some time after the first KVA attacks in your world and what you’ve done was give the world a chance to bask in the technologies you’ve given.”

Irons chuckled. “The augmentation research had a big branch completely separate from its core function. To make the ultimate soldier, while also having equal strength, he or she can be independent from the use of the exosuit. And now those applications are completed from theory, we just need our first official test subject. Question is…” He looks at Genie with concern in his eyes. “…would she be enough?”

Dana entered the room and looked at Irons and Genie. “She has to be,” she replied, assuming she knew about the subject the two were talking about. “You know she is.”

Genie giggled. “Miss Caulfield, Mister Irons is only concerned of combining the Neuroi integration gene that could be inserted into the subject. It’s a feat of genetic engineering at its finest.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Dana replied. “But she could also be the first death if those tested theories are combined… An augmented soldier… and a human-Neuroi hybrid. Your research combined with his. You had less time of doing that research behind his back.”

“…the research I allowed.” Irons interrupted Dana. “Your concerns are noted, but there’s always risk. Nonetheless, the only option now is to move forward with the integration of Genie’s research. If my augmentation operation succeeds, it’ll be followed by her Neuroi integration operation. Assuming she’s gotten to equal knowledge to her matrix for her brief amount of time, I think she’ll succeed with this.”

“Careful,” Dana warned Irons. “…because you’re putting faith on an AI who helped you gather allies in this world. Just because she’s one of them and now higher than they are, doesn’t mean she couldn’t overthrow you.”

Genie only glared at Dana for a short period before it faded and she smiled. “Your concerns are well placed. It would seem your loyalty to him is as high as mine. I shall not compete. We’ll be having an interesting time.”

And Dana sees Genie’s holographic image fade, leaving only her and Jonathan there. “So… I’m also here to inform you. One-three has located Litvyak’s parents… hiding out in the mountain ranges of Orussia.”

“To hide out until the war is over,” Irons replied eventually bringing out the holo-images of Sanya’s diary and pictures he’s recovered. “I’m authorizing the action. Give my regards to Atlas One-Three.”

“Understood. And… the girl?” Dana replied, pointing out the test subject for the augmentation operation.

Irons then put the image of a brown-haired girl on one of the screens of the briefing room. She was sleeping on a medical bed with a mask on her mouth. “Miss Caulfield… relay this message to the team: ‘Begin the procedure’.”

Dana chuckled. “Understood. I’m sure her sister will be as broken as Sanya would be.” She said it as she briefly looked over Christiane’s sleeping form before leaving the room behind.

_I still have the ability to reach out and break my opponents… something I didn’t have the guts to do before._

**_Present time…_ **

**_Sicily Base…_ **

**_1932 hours…_ **

Trude’s eyes didn’t lie, as well as how her instincts kicked in after analyzing the human-hybrid revealing herself next to Lida, the traitor who had her gun pointed to Trude’s forehead. She was helpless as she was on her knees with no feelings to her arms and legs on that runway. With Lida acting as a traitor, she could only realize that it gets worse.

Her younger sister was right next to Lida. “Chris…?” Trude called out to the Human-Neuroi hybrid girl. “That’s… impossible… How have you grown to-?” She then looked at Lida. “What have you done?!”

“I haven’t done anything. My new hosts have.” Lida said before looking at the hybrid beside her. “Christiane… Meet your sister.”

And Christiane glared at Trude. “I know,” she spoke in a combination of human and some type of robotic voice that’s only heard partially. “And I wish I wouldn’t be here to see her.”

“What are you talking about? It’s me, Chris!” Trude said this just as Lida pulls her pistol off her forehead. It was then she saw Chris put her hand on Trude’s neck and squeezed to choke her. “Ugh-ack…!”

Christiane then lifted her sister up, feeling her anger was real as she grits her teeth. “I felt helpless in bed. And what were you doing all this time? Taking glory for yourself. It’s hard enough to watch you fight. It’s much harder I felt envy… especially when you got yourself a new sister.” Then she lets go of Trude, seeing her sister hit the ground but still couldn’t use her legs or arms.

And Trude only had the strength to look at Chris. All this anger Chris had didn’t make sense to her. “Chris…! I… never replaced you.”

“You sure about that?” Chris smirked at her, and used her enhanced senses to hear running steps from a corridor in the building that leads outside. Chris then sees who it was. Yoshika Miyafuji was surprised that Lida was with who seemed to be familiar. And Chris knows she never met Yoshika personally. “Ah. Speaking of that subject…”

Yoshika couldn’t believe it. She had a brief time of looking at Barkhorn’s picture of herself and Chris, and this was definitely the same appearance of Chris, only looking older and having Neuroi properties on her body. “You’re her…”

Chris raised her hand, with her palm being human, but then turned into a scale of a Neuroi hexagon. “Hello, Miyafuji.” A glow from the hexagon made Yoshika confirm it was a beam emitter, but the beam fired first.

Yoshika couldn’t react that fast, so she deployed her shield. While it wasn’t huge, she was able to pinpoint where the beam would hit. For a split second, she deployed her shield and it completely blocked the beam, though it pushed her into the entryway and onto a wall, giving that portion a crack while she collapsed on the floor taking the brunt of the damage. ‘ _That was so strong…_ ’ She thought of that just as she grits her teeth, trying to get up with her arms first. Then she tried something unorthodox, but she needed to follow her heart when she looked at Chris, now approaching her. “Chris… Please… Your sister… She needs you.”

And Chris stops walking, seeing that Trude was still on the ground. Then she heard another set of footsteps.

“MIYAFUJI!!!” Mio was sprinting towards an unsuspecting Chris or so she thought, with her katana equipped. “YAAAAA!!!”

Chris knew better and turned around just to see Mio slash at her. She raises her arm and fires another beam. It was a good thing Mio had her blade forward, so as to direct the beam to part. And this made Chris intrigued by Mio, surviving between the parting beams as she tried to keep her beam steady. It was damaging the walls while Mio was pushing forward. “Don’t fight me. Otherwise, it’s my sister who gets it!”

Lida then aimed her pistol right at Barkhorn’s head. “She’s right, you know.”

Mio gasped and saw that it was real. The one she was fighting was actually an older version of Chris. “Wait… Impossible…!”

Chris stopped emitting her beam just in time to see that Mio was already tired and got on her knees to breathe while keeping her sword Reppumaru held with one hand. “I had a feeling you were getting tired. You’re old… and obsolete.”

Yoshika was surprised just as Mio is, but she couldn’t understand. It was like the Chris that Trude was expecting was completely different. So Yoshika tried to reason with Chris. “Chris, please! Don’t you remember her?! She’s your sister, and we’re her friends!”

“Perhaps. But that might change. I have orders. Make this place uninhabitable.” Christiane said this, mostly not changing her flat tone while she aimed her palm beam emitter at Yoshika. “I have a life I cannot lose to. I hope that means something to you.” She charged that emitter and attempted to release a beam.

**_Yoshika –_ ** _I couldn’t just ignore that sadness and anger she felt. Though this Chris was different in personality, her raw anger was real… How could I not show sympathy?_

_But it was also that sympathy that had one of us killed._

“NOOO!!!” Mio got up and got in the way of the emitter and a narrow blue beam was released. The beam went through Mio’s chest and it exited out of her back. She collapsed, having felt backwards.

Yoshika catches Sakamoto and she started to shed tears. Mio wasn’t bleeding out, but her internal bleeding didn’t make things any different. “Major…! MAJOR!!!”

And Chris saw how this was going. Mio, an obsolete witch protected someone who Chris expected was strong. This made Chris smirk. Being wrong just made her pleased. And she aims her palm beam emitter at Yoshika and charges for another attack. “I thought you were better. Stronger. Waste of life. My sister doesn’t deserve you.”

Trude only saw this as she was helpless. While the effect on her paralysis was almost wearing off, she didn’t take chances and tried to help by shouting at Yoshika. “YOSHIKA… SAVE YOURSELF!!!”

Lida grits her teeth and suddenly kicks Trude’s head hard, knocking the Karlslander captain unconscious. “So annoying. Chris! Stop playing with your prey.”

“Resilient and lucky pray, actually.” Chris said it just as she heard steps on the corridor. A girl with orange hair accompanied by a shorter blonde was running. “This will be fun.” She said this to herself before she charged beam emitters with both her palms and aimed at the two targets.

Shirley half-expected it and deployed her shield just in time as the blue beams came quick to her. “Gwa-! AAAH!!!” Shirley held on and almost slid. Erica wasn’t as lucky even having deployed a shield as she was knocked back to the floor. And two beams focused on her shield. Holding both hands forward to focus, she sees Yoshika and Mio near the entryway leading to the runway. “Yoshika… You gotta move her! Move the Major away!!!”

Yoshika noticed Shirley was giving orders, and sees Chris moving forward towards Shirley who was unarmed. ‘ _No… It’s becoming a nightmare…!_ ’

“ _Atlas Zulu 2-1 on approach._ ” The radio transmission had been heard on Lida’s earpiece.

And Lida smiled, seeing from afar in the darkness that an ATLAS Warbird had de-cloaked and started to open fire on nearby soldiers. And then another Warbird de-cloaked and shot up another direction where there was a machinegun nest that wasn’t prepared. “You boys are right on time.”

Eila was flying low and almost skimming the waters of the ocean while her eyes were forward that night when she gasped and widened her eyes, like she saw something she should fear. She hovered, and then looked back on where she came from. “No… No!! It’s happening now?! I can’t just-!” She then looked to the direction where Sanya had last disappeared to, then looked back at where she came from.

**_Eila­ –_ ** _I’ve been faced with hard choices before, but not something like this. Having seen a vision of all my friends back at Sicily dying, I felt as if I had to make a stand on only one way. But… Sanya… She wasn’t deserved to be out of our family… out of my life… when it all mattered._

As Eila was looking at where she came from, she heard a drone of engines come from behind her. Turning around, she could see a figure flying at her altitude. And then she began to recognize it from afar… The magic antennae and the hair she couldn’t forget. “S-Sanya…?” She muttered that to herself just before Sanya hovered just a fair distance from her. She noticed Sanya was only looking at Eila. So to make a move, Eila moved forward. Relieved that Sanya isn’t moving from her spot, Eila flew faster.

Sanya’s eyes were one of a primal black cat’s. She was vigilant as well as concerned of Eila coming to her. But she wasn’t aggressive, letting Eila near her again. As Eila got close and hovered to stop at a few feet away, Sanya spoke. “I hope what I thought would have worked.”

Eila winced at it. “What would have?”

“My plan… or none if you didn’t come. But I knew you were stubborn.” Sanya glared at Eila. “And you’d be sensing it.”

“Wait… Did you know about-?”

“I was looking at the bigger picture.” Sanya spoke. “When I broke and I became the no-softie Sanya you see here now, I figured. They were playing mind games with me. And it’s something they’d do to keep us apart.”

“You’re right. I’ve seen the vision. They’ve attacked Sicily.”

“…without me there, they never would have seen it coming.” Sanya continues Eila’s statement.

“And you knew this?!” Eila glared at Sanya and became upset, hovered close and put her hands on Sanya’s collar on her clothes. “You have such an ego that you put everyone at risk just for your hunch?!!!”

“I needed to know if they’d really take the bait and they have! That’s the opponent we’re facing!” Sanya shouted right back at Eila at almost the same intensity. “And now you know the lengths they’d stoop to just to be victorious. This is the world we’re in. And I’m just getting started on adapting on what they think.”

Eila grits her teeth, now much angry. She lets go of Sanya and for once was in Sanya’s place for once as she lifted her hand with an open palm and swung it to her friend. It was loud and strong, and Eila couldn’t bring it back now. She slapped Sanya and it was going to last in their minds. “I… I don’t know you anymore…” Eila hovered back to get herself away from Sanya.

“Please stop,” Sanya said that, now with her voice as less firm as it used to be. Turning her eyes to Eila, it seemed her eyes were back to its normal color and she had that sad emotion. “I’m sorry if things went that way, but I needed to be sure. Our enemy doesn’t take lives for honor, but it’s for their pleasure now. And with how I perceived them, I thought it could be how I could perceive the world.” Sanya holds the cheek she slapped on and looked at Eila in sadness. “I’m stained… though not as Yoshika and Francesca… I know I wanted to taste their blood for myself. I can’t change that.”

Eila looked at Sanya in disgust and turned her head away, closing her eyes. “You know I can’t follow you on that dark path… no matter what your intentions are, even if it is for saving us. Heck… You were trying to get us killed just to see if you were right-” Eila gathered her angered emotions and glared at Sanya again. “AND YOU WERE RIGHT, JUST AS ALWAYS!!! Now it seems you’re happy our friends are getting killed.”

“That’s not what I’m trying to say. I’m saying you all don’t deserve the likes of me when I think of revenge. And I WANT… REVENGE.” Sanya was speaking while her eyes turned into her familiar black cat’s eyes while shedding tears.

Eila then heard a sound of engines flying from behind. Noticing that Minna and Kathryn caught up, they stood behind her, staying silent while Eila and Sanya talk. “So… You wanna quench your thirst for once?”

Sanya winced. “What?”

“Put aside that quest of yours.” Eila speaks, deciding to hold her emotions for a better time. “If not to save us, then do it to bathe in their blood as much as you want. We’ll never take the lives of your parents back, so here’s your chance for them to see you as you are now.”

Sanya was surprised and chuckled. “You’re such a tease, Eila. But don’t you want me back yourself?”

“That’s clearly not going to happen anymore.” Eila shakes her head, solemnly knowing she can’t take Sanya back… not at the state she’s in. “If you wanna follow your heart, I’m gonna do the same thing. All I’m asking is… I want you to indulge in the revenge you’re still seeking.”

Sanya took that as a sweet statement to Eila and smiled. “You’re speaking my language. That’s a first that I’d experienced it this way…” And her smile faded as she slowly hovered to Eila. Putting her hand to Eila’s cheek, she looks at Eila with her own black cat’s eyes. “Nya…”

Eila didn’t expect Sanya’s finger to pinch her cheek and a nail to scratch down deep. “Ow…!” Eila winced in pain and felt that deep scratch turn into a scar and was slightly bleeding from it. “What’s that for-?”

“Just something to remember me by… as I am. This is a kind gesture you’re giving me. If you have to get it healed, don’t. Yoshika or just as anyone can stitch it up. I want you to keep it there as a reminder that I’ve changed.” Sanya glared at Eila. “If you don’t, I’ll just kill you where you stand.”

“I’m not complaining.” Eila smiled. “Now… Aren’t you supposed to kill your prey?”

“Not without proper motivation to allies I trust.” Sanya said that, eventually looking at Minna and Kathryn. “Sicily base has gone under attack. I’m quenching myself in blood while I can’t expect leaders who ordered my parents killed to be there directly. It’ll come in time. But what I DO want are the heads of my enemies on a stake.”

Minna only looked at Kathryn, then back at Sanya. “Take point. I’ll join from behind followed by Bolton and Juutilainen.”

No further discussion was done just as Sanya started to fly back from where she came from, followed by Minna, Kathryn and Eila in formation. All four were expecting hostiles when they return to Sicily.

Earlier at Sicily… it was about to get messy. Shirley was knocked back to the wall on the corridor after having been overpowered by Human-Neuroi hybrid Christiane. Erica Hartmann stands and attempts to attack with her offense magic Sturm and it knocks away Chris, damaging her ribs and her single leg. She groans in pain while she regenerates lost pieces of herself.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO TRUDY?!” Erica asked in rage. “You’re not Chris!!!”

Chris snorts and aims her palm emitter at Erica and fires a beam, hitting only Erica’s shield. “I’m the angry side of her. Deal with it.”

Perrine, Lynette and Francesca each had pistols. After realizing the base was under attack, they had to arm themselves with what they could find. And guiding themselves outside at the other end of the runway, Perrine ran into trouble: An ATLAS Warbird unloading mercenaries. Once they fired at her, she deploys her shield while Francesca and Lynette stay strong to return fire with their pistols.

“This is just unorthodox!” Perrine said this, holding her shield up as it was getting hit by rounds.

Lynette was firing and didn’t let up. “I wish I had my rifle at a time like this…! Perrine… Too many of them! Please… Sword and Shield!”

“Good call.” Perrine replied as her arms emitted some electricity. While the two understood it, they deployed shields of their own and Perrine drops hers and grits her teeth while releasing her offense magic. “ ** _TONNERRE!!_** ” Using both arms, she released bolts of lightning right at the squad of mercenaries. They get shocked, and their weapons get fried, while the grenades they carried started to go off one by one. Once the area was clear, she had to make another move. “Quick! Our strikers are still in the hangar!!”

Yoshikawa and Kuhn were paired up and they each had submachine-guns on hand. After pressing against a two-man patrol, they noticed there was more gunfire near the car pool. They eventually find Maximoff firing two MG 42’s at another squad alone, taking out all of them in one sweep.

Maximoff takes cover behind the parked jeeps while being joined by her teammates. “They’re swarming in like they mean to kill us!”

“A shock tactic.” Kuhn replied, commenting on what the mercenaries are aiming it. “We gotta fight them off and let them lose momentum! Michiko! I need you to cover! Maximoff, lay down fire!”

“Da!” Maximoff replied before seeing another squad of mercenaries fire at their position. She exposes herself, firing MG 42’s at the hostile combatants while Kuhn and Yoshikawa flank and engage the squad from their side.

Paulsen who was just joining from behind her teammates, throws an unpinned grenade right at the squad. Seeing it too late, the squad gets decimated in an explosion. “Exactly! Watch your footing!” She said it just as she joins Maximoff in cover.

“About time,” Helena Maximoff said. “Where’s Kathryn?!”

“Still in flight, but I don’t know if she’ll be back so soon. More birds coming in for a sweep!” Paulsen said that, displacing to another position for better cover.

**_ATLAS Mobile HQ…_ **

Irons was looking at the cameras the mercenaries have on their heads and a separate monitor from the satellite view while he had staff working for the operation. “They’re quite resilient and I’m taking losses.”

Genie had activated herself as a holographic image to accompany him. “My forces are about to arrive. Soon, the base will be nothing but dust.”

“And our defector?”

“I just had word from our resident witch. She’ll oversee the extraction personally.” Genie replied, with her disdainful tone. “I sometimes get annoyed of her tastes.”

“That’s what makes her unique in a way. She doesn’t think like an operator, but she has her uses.” Irons said it and chuckled for a bit.

**_Sicily base… Under siege…_ **

Trude was finally getting her bearings and was healing from her paralysis smoothly. Sitting up, she realizes she was in the mess hall. And she winced at something else. Right across her in the room, she saw Lida, holding a survival knife and had her familiar features out. Trude could see Lida’s face of lust, and it felt disgusting. “I thought you you could have killed me to save the trouble.”

“What good would that do if you couldn’t fight?” Lida chuckled, walking to her target. “Removes the thrill. Doesn’t do me justice on the goal I liked to achieve.”

Trude deploys her familiar features herself, punching her two fists together to make the earth shake a bit and glares at Lida. “No wonder Sanya didn’t like you at all. You’re a stalker.”

“That’s how I act in front of my favorite Snowflake.” Lida then walked faster and began to stab at Trude.

Responding in kind, Trude evaded the knife and hits Lida with her elbow, but she didn’t expect she’d be hit with Lida’s knee to her torso.

The next several moments involved both girls hitting and evading each other in close range. It flipped tables and chairs. It bruised and scratched them both. Trude showed her strength, and Lida shows her unwavering resilience to her likes of blood, even nailing a few scars at her opponent.

Shirley was thrown out the window of the building and next to the runway of the base. Two blue beams carved a hole between the wall and window before it collapsed down to the outside. Christiane walked out, glaring at the Liberion who was just getting up.

“When will you learn?” Chris said this just as she charged her palm emitters and aimed at the downed Shirley. She didn’t expect someone to suddenly ride her. And it was Erica with her small body riding Chris and using her elbow to hit the head. “Ow-ahhn!! GET OFF ME!!!”

“STOP… HURTING… MY… FRIENDS!!!” Erica said those words at each hit she made on the Neuroi hybrid’s head, just until her arms were caught. “Whoa-OOOH!!!!” Erica was thrown forward towards Shirley, and hits the Liberion, making them both crash down to the ground.

“ENOUGH!!!” Chris shouted in anger. “You two will DIE! NOW!” She aimed both her palm emitters right at the two downed witches and fired her blue beams. And both Hartmann and Shirley deployed their shields. “GRAAAAAAHHH!!!” She increased the intensity of her beams and they grew bigger. With Shirley and Erica weakened severely, they doubted they would hold their magic shields long enough. Then Chris noticed a drone of engines coming from outside the base, not expecting company. “What…?!”

Eila and Sanya flew next to each other firing their machineguns right at the humanoid Neuroi hybrid shouting their battlecry together as bullets fly. The sight of these two had other witches on the ground cheering for them, as the humanoid was pushed away from her position and brought to slam a nearby building wall.

Chris was damaged but she was regenerating, replacing her tissue and clothing quickly with the Neuroi cells that keep most of what she is. “Damn you… resilient… I’ll give you all that…”

Meanwhile, Minna and Kathryn covered each other, paired to use shields and fire from different directions as they both engaged the Warbirds. “My Six!” Kathryn shouted this and they switched positions with Minna firing at that direction. “Shield! Our 3!” Minna would shout that out and Kathryn would deploy a shield on that same direction, as if their tight coordination was there for years. They were keeping themselves alive with the pairing technique they’re using.

Finally, Perrine was able to find her weapon at the hangar along with Lynette and Francesca. “We’re going in the air, NOW! Let’s teach them who they’re messing with!”

**_ATLAS Mobile HQ…_ **

Irons was becoming impatient. The resilience was beginning to match the losses he’s receiving and he’s called the coordinator close to him. “Tell all of them they’re pulling out. Reserve Echo 4-2 for the extraction of the principle.”

“Yes, sir!” The coordinator replied and started to issue orders for most of the ATLAS units to evacuate.

“Genie,” Irons spoke to Genie’s holographic self in the room. “Show them you mean business. Unleash hell.”

Genie chuckles evilly. “You don’t need to tell me twice, dearest friend.” Her holographic image then disappears.

**_Sicily Base… under siege…_ **

The night was just about to get worse for the witches. Neuroi nanites fly through the air in a tight swarm formation. They look like very small insects from far away, but once they’re together, they form a cloud of themselves that cannot easily be underestimated. The swarm then arrives at the end of the runway and each little nanite lands on the ground, just as they were all forming delicately into parts of a humanoid, forming and fusing together to make a singular humanoid which takes several seconds. The thickness of the swarm was disappearing as the humanoid takes form right in front of everyone. Genie was there to open her eyes, show her human skin with blue lines and hexagons on her body while having long golden blonde hair. But unlike Chris, she has the most majestic figure that isn’t like any other.

Chris looks at Genie from afar while regenerating. And she laughs maniacally. “Hahahaha… All you witches are dead now!!!”

Genie looks solemnly at Chris who was still surviving. Chuckling, she spoke. “Yes. Perhaps you’re right.”

As ATLAS Warbirds began to fly away and retreat while de-cloaking, Sanya hissed like a cat, attempting to pursue but was stopped by Eila. “LET ME GO!” she demanded.

“No, look!!” Eila said this to get Sanya to look at the new humanoid Neuroi that appeared from a swarm of Neuroi.

And soon as every witch had their attention on Genie, they realized it themselves. There was something very different from this Neuroi humanoid… like this one acted like a young mother.

Genie chuckled, having finally caught the attention of everyone in the base. “I’m glad you all noticed. I am… Genie. Everyone however from my same genus calls me… the Al-mother.” Putting her arms in front of her and her palms upward, she releases two large beams up in the sky. Looking up with a smile, the beams extend upward for a certain distance. It took several seconds before she stopped.

What changed the favors of the witches to a grim level was the fact that there were a number of medium-type Neuroi vessels that appeared a distance from the base, and a few more Large-type ones coming from another direction.

What odds have the 501st faced in their impending doom before?


	13. Downfall pt. 3

Genie snorted. “My objective is simple. Save for our knight who’s recovering, I’ve come to decimate you all. If you’re lucky or resilient, you’ll have a chance in life. Know however… You will never be the same after this. If there are deaths… so be it. So many things out of our way… so little time. Let’s see if your resolve really is as strong as your own personality reports are read to us.”

**_Sicily base... under siege..._ **

**_1935 hours..._ **

**_Minna –_ ** _There she was... right in front of us... another Neuroi humanoid. There are two of them now... and I’m surprised the other one had the face of Trude’s sister Chris. So many weird things are happening at this moment... that even I could wonder how this all came to be._

Kathryn softly got MInna’s attention with her elbow and whispered. “What do you want to do?” She asked, hovering next to Minna as they both looked at the Neuroi humanoid named Genie.

MInna didn’t answer Kathryn, hovering forward and lowering her altitude to the ground and stopping a foot away from the Al-mother Neuroi herself. “You’re capable of conversation, so I want to know something. It’s been overdue.”

Genie chuckled. “I suppose. The general questions should include a chance for dialogue or for coexisting with humanity.” She shook her head. “I answer no, for both questions.”

“Why?! What have we done to deserve this war?! What have we done to deserve those deaths from years ago?!”

“If you asked me years ago, I would have given you the same answer even until now. Warmongers exist here and were about to start a war on themselves. And the collective of Neuroi find it distasteful. Before I arrived, they were right to observe you, and conclude that your warring species deserved to be cleansed. That was why they first attacked in your year 1939. We’re doing you a favor. And I’m just maximizing the effort when I took over every single one of their nests, now with the improvements included thus far.” Genie snorts. “Not that you’d completely understand. We Neuroi desire coexistence, in the new world of everlasting peace. And together with a race you call proud, this faction does seem to completely branch out from everyone else here.”

“You mean Jonathan Irons.” Kathryn hovered next to Minna, and glared at Genie. “Every time I think of this faction, I think of only one man. His selfish desire and twisted definition of peace seems much bloodier to me.”

“There’s still a sound argument.” Genie replied, finding Kathryn’s interruption rude. “His military power was used to wage wars... Assigned by the same countries you protect, though similarly from his world. If the Neuroi haven’t arrived years ago, you’d have all killed each other! You all obey old men to die in the wars they start!! We’re just cleansing that mentality out of everyone so that future generations would never experience being pawns in a game again.”

“We’re not pawns,” Minna quickly replied in denial. “We’re protectors.”

“You say that because you protect humanity, the kind you know.” She snickered, looking at everyone else at the base as they looked back at her. “But as a leader with a great mind, you’re also aware that you’re all still soldiers... soldiers that fight for a cause. If that cause were a global war instead, it doesn’t change anything.” Genie looks back at Minna. “I have a proposition to make so we can make this matter go away. Not that you’d completely listen, but you need to hear it. Leave immediately. Sicily is as good as ours and Romagna would effectively fall under complete control of the Axis Alliance. Rather than risking casualties, I’m asking you all to desert this place. Let us do what we came to do, and at best... use people instead of wasting their lives.”

“YOU PIECE OF-!” Kathryn hovered forward in anger but was stopped by Minna. She kept her arm out to try and reach Genie. “Prolong their suffering, you kill their soul! Prolong their usefulness, and they become slaves! That’s not doing them a favor! That’s killing them slowly, you bitch!!!”

“Like I said. I’d rather not waste lives. We’re more efficient that way.” Genie replied, glaring at Kathryn. “There’s no use of talking to you.” She then looked at the other witches on the base. “...or even the rest of you! You’d all die on some fool’s errand!” Genie then hovers before she starts to split apart into Neuroi nanites. “...AND FORGOTTEN!” She splits into the thousands of flying Neuroi nanites. “ _YOU WILL ALL DIE HERE!!!_ ” Her echoed voice filled with rage was accompanied by multiple beams fired at different directions. Most witches were able to get their shields up. Some stood their ground and others like Shirley, Erica, Eila, and Hera Kuhn, got thrown somewhere, while some of the beams destroyed vehicles and ammunition crates.

Chris saw the nanite swarm come to her. “I’m sorry if I wasn’t so useful.”

“ _Save it,_ ” Genie briefly said it in a whisper.

The rest of the witches outside saw the swarm around Chris just before the swarm flies off. Chris was no longer there as the swarm left the base.

In the mess hall, the environment of flipped tables and chairs utensils, a slight tremor had happened, but it didn’t concern Gertrude Barkhorn, filled with scratches on her uniform and skin, while Lida Yermolayevna still held her survival knife while her body had been marked with bruises. They didn’t back down, still itching to fight.

Trude pants, knowing her energy is almost spent. “You almost out of it?”

Lida was panting as well, knowing she was almost spent herself. “Not in the slightest, Сука. (Bitch.)”

“Turning Chris into a monster... I’ll never forgive any of you.” Trude then runs to Lida, unleashing a battlecry. She saw Lida was poised to defend, but Trude didn’t care. She just wanted to end it all.

A humanoid de-cloaks from the side of Lida and made a strong side kick to Trude, instantly hitting the Karlslander witch hard to the face and knocking her out.

Dana completely de-cloaks just as Trude hits the floor, lowering her leg and her thigh. “Just what you need, Barkhorn.” She said it, opening her covered helmet to show her face.

Lida was seeing that Dana was wearing some sort of exoskeletal outfit, with a covered helmet included. “You seemed armed to the teeth.”

“Just enough,” Dana said while drawing her ATLAS .45 pistol and checking its ammunition. “I’m here to get you out.”

“I had her handled.”

“Had?” Dana chuckled. “You seem to be winded. And it will kill you.” As Dana said that, she saw Lida’s familiar features recede. “Rest a little when we get back to the Mobile HQ. This part of Romagna is about to fall to us. Or specifically... our Neuroi allies.”

“Allies...? So it’s not temporary?”

“On the contrary, we seek the same thing. Let’s talk later. Follow.” Dana led the two of them out of the mess hall.

Somewhere in the base pantry, the door was closed shut, and Duchess Maria was in one corner next to Patricia Schade. A minor tremor rocked the the pantry, even getting a tray of potatoes to fall off to the floor from a shelf.

Beside them was Yoshika, tending to a wound she had on her shoulder. Beside her was Mio, holding a knife with some blood on its sharp edge while the major herself is gravely injured. Her internal bleeding got stronger, and even she’s beginning to lose blood.

Yoshika shed tears, trying to heal herself with her own magic, ashamed. “Major... Why...?”

Mio was weakening, but she was at least able to vent out her emotions a little. “I wanted to accept the inevitable.”

**_Earlier..._ **

“Major...!” Yoshika dragged Mio slowly into the pantry and placed her at one side of the room. She eventually got to start off in healing Mio.

Mio groans in pain, looking at Yoshika. “I beg you... Don’t.”

Duchess Maria who was in with Patti that time protested. “Please relax. She’s just trying to heal you.”

“Well... I don’t want healing! I want none of it!” Mio said this, not changing Yoshika’s mind.

And thoughts ran in Yoshika while she was attempting to stop her internal bleeding first. “You’re shot all the way through. And you’re still alive...”

“That’s me, Miyafuji... being the best I could be... until the end.” Mio coughed out blood, closing her eyes and bearing the pain.

“Sakamoto!!”

“I’m ordering you... For once... Halt the healing.”

“NO! I can’t lose you! I can’t lose you now!!” Yoshika said this as she kept healing Mio. What she didn’t see coming was that Mio was bringing something out of a backpocket of her clothing. Equipping a knife, Mio then stabs Yoshika’s shoulder and pulls the knife out. “AAAAGH!!!” Yoshika’s magic stopped and she covered her bleeding shoulder wound and started to treat herself with her own magic. “Sakamoto... Why?!”

**_Present..._ **

Mio chuckled, looking at the knife she stabbed Yoshika with. “Being a witch is all I could ever be and it’s the face of my own identity. I’ve gone through lengths trying to preserve the world from destruction, but I’m just suffering just because of my age. I’m running out, so I may as well call it.”

Yoshika kept healing herself and kept shedding tears for Mio. “Sakamoto... Please don’t die... Please don’t.”

“You’re stronger than you know, Miyafuji.” Mio looked up at the ceiling, tired of looking anywhere else. “Where’s Reppumaru?”

And the younger Fusojin knew where to look. Looking at a corner she took the katana Mio owned together with the sheathe. Holding it in one hand, she brought it close to Mio. “Here...”

“I want you to keep that, Yoshika. Save that... as a reminder that I was there to show you the true virtues of a witch.” Mio shed a few tears herself. “I never regretted being beside your father in his achievements. And I never regretted taking you along to see his grave. But... You chose to fight and save the world. You’ve done it again when the Neuroi situation was getting worse. Now I want you to see it through, no matter what happens to me. This is my last order to you... Miyafuji.” Mio was beginning to fade and her breathing has slowed.

Yoshika stopped healing herself and cried further. “Please... Please don’t go...!!!” She said it, and didn’t heal Mio, heavily following a friend’s request to let things be.

“Don’t... cry for me. I see him... Your father...” Mio was getting weaker and life was about to fade. “Please... remove my patch... so I could see the world in my eyes... one last time.”

And Yoshika didn’t delay, immediately removing Mio’s eyepatch. She saw that Mio’s magic was fading that even her magic eye had begun to lose its strength.

Mio looked at Yoshika with both her eyes. She lifted her arm up and had her hand touch the younger Fusojin’s cheek. “Ichiro... Your father would be proud... of you...”

Yoshika held Mio’s hand on her cheek. She saw Mio’s eyes slowly lose its life. And just as Mio’s eyes were still, her hand was let go and it drops right to her friend’s waist. She realized that Mio had breathed her last. She took a few minutes of shedding more of her tears before she started to wipe her face from them while looking at Mio’s body. “I’ll be with him... someday.” She said it just as she used one hand to cover Mio’s eyes, and closing them for good. “Goodbye... Mio.”

Maria felt the impact of the loss of life and remembered what Mio is like in the stories she’s heard, as well as the reputation. She then spoke up. “I know it won’t help so much. But... I only know her by reputation.”

Patti was listening intently. ‘ _I know less of Sakamoto, so I suppose I should listen,_ ’ she thought while feeling sad.

Maria continues, aware Yoshika is listening. “Brave. Honorable. Unyielding. That’s the kind of person I know her from in the different stories I’m usually told about. Being there after the development of the Striker Unit was finished, and being there for a friend, I’d be able to see what type of person she is up to now. She might not have much of a legacy, but she’s a great person.”

Yoshika looked at Maria and then back at Reppumaru, the katana Mio once owned. “I wouldn’t say she doesn’t have a legacy.” She held the katana with both hands and partially parted the blade with the sheathe. Seeing her own reflection from the blade, the katana slightly glows with residual magic powering it. “She has one.” Yoshika then pulls the sheathe off Reppumaru, showing its blade in full to her.

“The blade?” Patti asked, wondering about what Yoshika meant.

The Fusojin looked at Patti and shook her head. “Not really.” She looked at Mio and had the answer in her head. “It’s me. I’m that legacy.” Putting the katana back into the sheathe she gives it to Patricia. “Hold on to that for a while. I have to help my friends.”

“You can count on us to look after it,” Maria said it just at Patti took the blade. “Good luck.”

Yoshika nods gets out of the pantry and makes a run for it.

Things have escalated quickly. The two large type Neuroi were on high altitude and were on a bombardment mission. Using projectile bombs having blue and red hexagons, the large type were able make damage on several emplacements and some of the minor buildings of the base. Meanwhile, all the witches were handling the medium-type Neuroi that they were in range of engaging since they were dangerous close to the base.

Finally when Shirley and Lucchini paired up, they didn’t waste time to pair up as the easier medium-type Neuroi that they encountered were closer to the base. “Keep on spraying! We both recognize this one!” Shirley said it as she released automatic fire from her rifle.

Lucchini was doing well using her shields in a blink to deflect beams and quickly displace to another heading. “Can’t be too stressed, can you?! No wonder you don’t turn so much!!” She said that, assuming the Neuroi could understand her.

“Careful what you wish for. If it understands you, it’s on you if it gets angry.” Shirley said this, flying right under the target’s belly just before she saw the Neuroi core exposed. “Crap! There it is! Lucchini!!”

“Right behind you!” Lucchini makes short work of the Neuroi core as soon as she made a tight turn and got in multiple shots to damage the core, and eventually destroy it. “Score one for the good guys!”

Trude was then running on the corridor still a little dizzy from the way she was knocked out. She groans, humiliated that she was knocked out at all. Before she knew it, she was out of the building and in the hangar when she saw a familiar face in the skies. Right beside Eila was Sanya herself who seemed to have a different fighting style now using a machinegun. Looking towards where Sanya’s striker was, she decided to pick something up from behind the docking units. Using her magic and deploying her familiar features, her enhanced strength was able to easily obtain a loaded Fliegerhammer launcher. Running for the entrance, she was even able to get Sanya’s attention. “HEY!!! YOU’LL NEED THE EXTRA KICK!!!”

Sanya smiled. “Eila, I’ll be right back!”

“What, where?!” Eila asked, but Sanya was already going back down to ground level towards the hangar. “SANYA!!” Groaning, she then resumes combat, going up against very small and quick Neuroi cubes. “So much for teamwork… again…” She was shooting multiple cubes down at a short time.

Trude sees Sanya hover down to her level as she held up the Fliegerhammer launcher to the Orussian witch. “Thought you might need this. You didn’t forget, did you?”

“I wish I didn’t,” Sanya said it, smirking at Barkhorn and dropping her light machine gun before taking the launcher from Trude. “Memories of what I use can sometimes be burdens, but they do help in a good way.”

“ _SANYA, BEHIND YOU!!_ ” Eila’s voice came to her earpiece.

And just in time, Sanya looks behind her with her angered black cat eyes at the incoming beam from above. Hissing angrily, a large shield was deployed from her without the use of her hands. “Annoying PESTS!!” She pointed her launcher upwards and fired straight up. The rockets hit the large type Neuroi that fired at her. Minna and Kathryn took it down together when the core was exposed. “Nobody dares disturb my moments.”

Trude chuckles. “Some things change and some people like it. Good luck, Sanya.” And she proceeds to the hangar to mount her striker unit.

Sanya noticed that statement from Trude was meant as a compliment, but there wasn’t time for it in the middle of a battle, so she flew up.

 **_Sanya –_ ** _It’s a good thing you didn’t think of my non-verbal response as a negative one… because I appreciated what you said. I guess I’m glad of the changes, even if it alienates others…_

Lynette was firing from distance using her Anti-Materiel Rifle as a support against the medium-type Neuroi that were closer while other witches were taking care of the problem. ‘ _Everyone’s fighting to defend themselves… though the base is getting wrecked… I don’t know how much longer we’d last like this…_ ’

MG-Mounted jeeps were moving around the base avoiding close beams from the medium-type Neuroi. Maximoff and Paulsen were on one and Yoshikawa and Kuhn were on the other. The MG-42 attachments were at least enough to damage the Neuroi hides. This was while they were avoiding beams themselves.

**_ATLAS Mobile HQ…_ **

As Irons was watching the battle unfold, he could see that the Neuroi managed by Genie was doing as intended. Though there were losses, the objective of base decimation was slowly being achieved.

The coordinator approaches Irons. “Sir… Caulfield is on the line.”

“Thank you. Dana, how are you?”

“ _I was able to get out. Who knew that a simple transport and a boat out of the battle would be the simplest way to avoid suspicions?_ ”

“They’re in a battle to defend themselves, Dana. I think you’ll find that in convenience. Now… Is our new ally with you?”

“Listen to her yourself,” Dana said it, assuming she’s passing the communication to Lida.

And Lida spoke to Irons for the first time. “ _So you’re the man who’s supposed to take me into his twisted family._ ”

“Twisted, but efficient, Former Commander. I’ve gone through lengths to see this plan through, and I’d be grateful for the help.”

“ _I was moved by your speech about your son being killed out of being involved with the world’s affairs. I guess it just wears out on just anyone who acts on someone’s orders._ ”

“And what do you think of my plan so far?”

“ _I think it’s going well. Dana is a colleague of mine, and I was glad to join the likes of you who more or less align with what I want… I want to improve upon myself and be so much more. I’m tired of what my government says about things. All the generals are the same. As long as they have power… They’re nothing but old fools._ ”

Irons chuckles at Lida’s statement. “Even more intriguing. I didn’t take you as the philosophical type when you describe things that way.”

“ _Let’s just say my mind was being given the exercise while I haven’t tasted combat in a long while. I’m honored to be a part of the family you’ve built._ ”

“Then you’ll fit right in. The usual exercises for operators go next for you though. We’ll get you debriefed.” Irons then cuts comms before switching to another frequency. “Genie… I suppose there’s a plan for this?” He said that just as he was seeing that the base’s armory had blown up, along with the rest of the supply vehicles.

Genie giggles before responding. “ _They’re very good at keeping themselves fresh. They’ll be challenging as soon as my next phase comes into effect._ ”

“I see. Have you chosen a subject yet?”

“ _For Arsenal X1… I had to study the subject carefully. And… I believe I’ve chosen. I’ll tell you in a surprise… Ehehehehe…_ ”

**_Sicily base… under siege…_ **

Yoshika finally arrives at the hangar and mounts her striker unit before picking out her machine gun. Letting magic imbue into her unit, it starts by itself before a rune is revealed beneath her feet. The docking unit releases her clamps before she adjusted her earpiece and speaks. “This is Yoshika Miyafuji! I’m going up!” Accelerated down the runway, she speeds up more before beams were coming down at her. She wasn’t fazed by the missed shots and raises altitude, taking to the night skies. It was only lucky that she left at the time she had because another beam was seen tearing through the base hangar. It triggers explosives and they had destroyed the building’s interior. “Oh no… Patti’s strikers were in there!”

“ _Yoshika, you’re up!_ ” Lynette was on the radio relieved of Yoshika being around. “ _Please join me! I’m sending you my grid!_ ” And just as Lynette revealed her location, Yoshika flies to where Lynette is… continuing to snipe the medium-type Neuroi coming right at her range. Hearing Yoshika’s striker engines, she smiled briefly before she continued to fire. “You’re finally here!!!”

Yoshika stayed vigilant and looked around while smiling. “It’s been a while, Lynne. It’s good to be out here… though I wish it could have been for better moments than this.” She said this just as she was firing at passing Neuroi cubes that she was easily destroying. “How are things?!”

“To give you an update…” Lynette spoke while firing another round from her Anti-Materiel Rifle. “6 uncomplicated Medium Types appeared and are closer, and three Large types are at high altitudes, and bombing the heck out of our base… We can’t save the base, but we can at least get to repel the Neuroi from this side of the world. We’d be foolish not to!”

“I don’t believe in completely lost causes either! Lynne, your left!” Yoshika’s warning came in time as Lynne used her shield to protect her left side. Yoshika then fires rounds at a passing medium-type Neuroi. Just as it passes, Yoshika reveals the Neuroi core. Releasing a battlecry and getting aggressive, she charges at the target and takes out the core swiftly. The Medium-type Neuroi was decimated, with shards now disintegrating from it. “Does that leave-?”

“Two more!” Lynette said It and gasped. “No! Yoshikawa, Kuhn! One of the medium-types is descending fast and intercepting your jeep!”

Yoshikawa was driving that jeep while she sees the Medium-Type Neuroi overhead as Kuhn fires the mobile emplacement on the vehicle as they move to avoid beams.

“Keep it steady!” Kuhn said this and fired at the medium-type Neuroi. “Crap…! Anyone free right now?! Medium-type on our asses!!”

Sanya grits her teeth as she dives from above and fires rockets at the pursuing medium-type Neuroi below. “Some rockets are free.” She smirked.

“Oh crap… HARD LEFT!” Kuhn’s order came with Yoshikawa’s split-second compliance, putting them out of the way of explosions and exposure to Neuroi shards. The Medium-type was damaged heavily and its core exposed. Kuhn wasted no time and fired short bursts before hitting the core and destroying that Neuroi. “Tch. Rockets are free… Firing too close for comfort?”

Sanya hovers, smiling proudly. “At least thank me.”

“ _Jeez… Now I know what they meant of you not being a softie anymore._ ” Kuhn’s response on the radio just made Sanya giggle.

From two large-type Neuroi, only one more remains, as the other was destroyed by the combination of Minna, Kathryn, Perrine, Shirley, and Francesca. That remaining large-type was starting to hit the main building badly.

Inside the main building, Patricia Schade was getting Duchess Maria out of there as soon as possible. Passing through a corridor, a collapsing piece of a ceiling almost hit them, but the witch pulled them back to save them from a grim fate. “Too close!”

“It’s coming down!” Maria exclaimed before she urged Patti to keep going. This was while she herself was carrying Mio’s Reppumaru, her katana.

While the two were maneuvering out of the building, the battle was going smoothly. Barkhorn participated on the attacks against the remaining Medium-type and the Large-type in the base. “This was for pulling families apart,” Trude exclaimed. “This is for making images of our loved ones as monsters!!” She was firing two MG 42’s at the medium-type Neuroi, revealing the core quickly and destroying. “This is for attempting to turn us against each other!!! You’re all sick to the bone!!! ALL OF YOU!!!”

Yoshika flew next to Gertrude and just supported her. “Captain… I know what you feel, but put your heart in the right place and put it at the right time! We all need you… just like all of you need me!”

Trude looked at Yoshika in surprise and almost shed a tear. “That’s the sweetest thing I’ve heard from you yet, Miyafuji. I wonder how many times you would save me just like that time in dover.”

“I’d do it as many times as you like as long as I’m around.” Yoshika then saw one big beam from the last large-type Neuroi come down at the main building hard, crippling the foundation and making it come down from its supports. “Let’s finish this.”

“ _All air units, this is Minna!_ ” Her voice was heard from the earpieces of all members of the 501st. “ _We have one last large-type and it’s resilient! Let’s finish it off and call it a night!_ ”

The witches in the air gathered in formation at first and started to mount an assault against the remaining large-type Neuroi, heavily defending itself by firing defensive beams. Through widespread shooting, they were searching for where the Neuroi core is. It wasn’t easy as this core could be moving. With Hartmann easily using her offense ability Sturm to dig in faster and with Trude able to shoot in deeper in combination, they were able to reveal the core in only several seconds. It was Kathryn who was fast enough to shoot the core directly and destroy the target, immediately decimating it and splitting it into falling shards.

At last, the attack wave had been cleared, and there was an eventual breathing room for them. As they all gathered, it was just Yoshika and Lynette who stayed where they are. Eventually, the two hovered next to each other and held hands.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” Yoshika said. “For all its worth, I’m glad you didn’t die.” She frowned. “I’ve had enough suffering of death for one night.”

“Wait… You don’t mean…” Lynette asked and looked around. “Where’s Major Sakamoto?”

Yoshika stays silent and starts to shed tears again, holding Lynette’s hands tight. She took a while to answer. “She’s-”

Lynette didn’t make Yoshika finish and hugged her girlfriend instead. Her eyes were open and were starting to wet up in the realization of it. “I’m sorry…!! I… I never knew. So… she’s gone…”

“Yes… Probably the closest I get to a mentor… the first one who recruited me into the unit… and the reason I became who I am today.” Yoshika said this, closing her eyes and returning that hug that was given to her.

Maria and Patricia were looking to the sky from below. They were able to make it just in time just as the four other members of the J.S.U. were there to greet her. She looked to the sky where the witches were, concerned of what they were talking about. She was then seeing little glowing dots of blue travelling towards the witches in the air, and she seemed to see that there was like a swarm of a thousand insects approaching. “No…! WATCH OUT!!!”

Sanya gasped, activating her Magic Antennae. ‘ _What?! This close?! How did it get past-?_ ’ She looked towards where it came from, and saw Miyafuji and Lynette together. “MIYAFUJI, BISHOP! GET AWAY!!!!”

But as fast as Yoshika and Lynette could hear, the swarm quickly forms around the two witches, making them blind as they tried to hover away from the swarm of nanites surrounding them. Then Lynette hovers away while the swarm goes away too. And just as she looks for Yoshika, she sees she’s gone. “YOSHIKA!!”

Kathryn then has a good hunch. “Goddamn Neuroi bitch has her!” As she was seeing the swarm descend down to the base, Barkhorn and Lucchini tried to aim, but she stopped them. “Don’t bother. If Miyafuji’s in there, chances are you could hit her.”

“Doesn’t reassure us…” Eila muttered to herself. “But she’s obviously bringing Yoshika down to ground level… for what?”

The J.S.U. on the ground kept their weapons focused on the Neuroi nanite swarm now on the ground of the base. They didn’t fire yet, so as not to provoke her. And they saw a pair of strikers thrown out of the swarm and onto the ground, partially damaging them.

Yoshika couldn’t tell what was happening, but the next thing she knew, she was on the ground with her back on it while the swarm was starting to disappear and transformed into the humanoid Al-mother Genie, who spoke. “I didn’t see you when I first met the rest of the 501st. But I guess it’s not that late. I’m the new All-mother of the Neuroi. And you… are at my special interest, Yoshika Miyafuji.”

As soon as Yoshika started to struggle, she felt her insides were being stung by insects. She couldn’t understand it, but she grits her teeth and groans in pain. And eventually, she screams in pain. ‘ _What is this?!_ ’ She thought of it as the stings were moving around her body.

Genie chuckled just as the 501st was descending down from the air, guns trained on her. She then had Yoshika hover by her will and appear to stand, just before Genie goes behind Yoshika and put arms around her shoulders. “Looks like everyone’s here. Bravo.”

Minna was the most affected, having seen Yoshika being taken hostage by a psychotic Neuroi queen. “Let her go, All-mother!”

Genie giggles at Minna. “And no matter what truth you hear about reality, you just keep prioritizing saving whoever’s left in your family, following a recent casualty.”

“Recent…?” Minna muttered that to herself and looked around her without turning her head so much. “Sakamoto…? Mio?!”

“My knight succeeded. Your Major’s life signs cannot be seen anywhere now. And with a death like hers? It’s only the beginning.” Genie evilly laughs loud, hearing Yoshika groan in pain.

Hera Kuhn wasn’t sure of what to do, but she was poked from behind by Duchess Maria. “What?”

Maria then moved to whisper. “Yoshika needs this… to break free. Something magical… I couldn’t describe it… It’s in this sword.”

Kuhn doubted at first, but the doubt fades as she trusts the duchess, and takes the katana out of its sheathe. She then uses her earpiece to contact Eila. “I’m whispering to Eila only. Hey Suomi. How’s your throw?”

Eila looked at where Kuhn is and is holding a katana. Getting a short vision, she realized what Kuhn meant. “Dead-on,” she whispered in reply.

Genie sighs. “Your faces would be on wanted signs and would be targets for bounties. Because we know for fact that just one of you implicates your unit. So do what you can… dismantle yourselves and leave the fighting to your warmongering leaders. This is their time. Not yours.”

“Um…!” Eila spoke to get Genie’s attention. Hovering in the middle of the open crowd, she got in front of Yoshika and Genie. “That’s not true. Really. It’s everyone time to be in this war. It’s just gonna take the right people to be in it. Each one’s got a stake in it if they want to get involved, and it becomes the choice that makes their lives. Some of us might have been drafted, others volunteered. But those who really got in the war just to protect this world and its innocent population deserve more credit than all the people involved in the war combined.” She glared at Genie. “…compared against the likes of you. Now.” Eila turns around just as the sword had come to her in a split second, facing the handle of the sword and throwing it at Yoshika.

And Yoshika saw where this was coming. Reppumaru was thrown from Kuhn, passed to Eila, then thrown right to her hand. The only thing Yoshika should do is maintain her open hand. And in the right time, she closed it into a fist. In precision, she captures the katana’s handle. Then magic surged from the sword into Yoshika, destroying things inside her… things that were making her feel pain and constricting her movements. The nanites have been burned out. She screamed in anger, now having the chance. She turned around and swung the blade right at Genie, slashing it through the Neuroi all-mother’s chest.

Genie screams in pain, stepping back from the moments that appeared so quick to her. Yoshika was then seen holding the sword with one hand at first, then with two as soon as Genie realizes it. “H-how…? The nanites are destroyed?!”

Yoshika kept Reppumaru’s tip pointed at Genie. “It’s over. For whatever’s worth it.”

“Tch. Yes. Perhaps it is.” Genie narrows her eyes at Yoshika. “You’re an interesting specimen, Miyafuji. But I have what I need. This isn’t the last time we’ll meet. That… I promise you.” Genie splits into nanites again, flying away in a swarm.

Yoshika then made her say first before any other takes action. “Let her go. She’s already beat. But we’re gonna see her again.”

Yoshikawa nodded at Kuhn, so the rest of the J.S.U. join in the crowd around Yoshika. ‘ _With all that strength, she could have-_ ’ Her thoughts were matched by what’s happened to Yoshika, seeing the Fusojin holding the sword collapse to the ground. “I knew it! It’s taken a toll on her! CLEAR THE AIR!!!”

Yoshika’s hands were off the sword and she was knocked out. However… she could feel Michiko Yoshikawa’s healing magic to restore part of her magic energy.

 **_Yoshika –_ ** _Nothing’s really over for the rest of us that night… And I know too. What that Neuroi Genie has done… She’s analyzed me… taken a piece of me as a copy of sorts. I don’t know how, but my nerves were stimulated just so she could see reactions._

_All that mattered that night was that it was over… but so is the agenda of the 501 st. I was there when Mio died. I was there when the base was decimated. And I was also there when I used the sword to attack someone._

_All of us changed… including myself. It’s only a matter of time when we’ll be able to finish off our new enemy. Our struggles, have only just begun._


	14. The Future is Uncertain

**_Forested Area… West of Sicily Base (Ruins)…_ **

**_0538 hours…_ **

“I wish she’s awake… Ahhn…” Eila was saying this, sitting on a sleeping bed right next to the destroyed Sicily base. Her sleeping bag along with others beside it were hidden in the forested area that early morning. That time, the scar on her cheek was getting a stitch from none other than Sanya, who was patient as she was doing it. “Careful… the needle is pretty sharp.”

Sanya was inserting a sterile needle for the last time into Eila’s parted skin from the scar, getting another painful groan from the Suomi witch. “Be glad you’re at least being given treatment. Plus… This doubles what you’re suppose to promise me.” Sanya said this, admiring her simple and precise stitching on Eila’s scratched cheek. “I gave you this myself. So I suggest you shut up and let me deal with it properly.”

Eila sighed, and waited until Sanya was able to cut the stitching thread and make a knot. When it was done, she spoke up. “I should ask you if you’re okay.”

“You protected me so well I didn’t even notice I was fine.” Sanya chuckled and sat down right next to Eila and neared her lips to Eila’s scarred cheek. She didn’t need the other’s permission as she kissed Eila’s cheek. And eventually, Eila turned her lips to Sanya and returned it, just before they were returning each other’s kisses.

At a nearby set up tent, Barkhorn was hovering with her striker unit just near Minna who was standing next to her. Minna then gives a brown clipped folder for Trude to hold. Minna then spoke to Trude on what the situation is. “You’re the messenger for the meantime. Make sure you pass this for Morse Code transmission to Command.”

“I understand.” Barkhorn said it before putting the folder into a knapsack and closing it tight to secure it.

“It’s there… the note I even wrote on what strong recommendations need to be taken.”

“Are you even sure The Field Marshal is going to accept that message? We’d be pulling ourselves apart for this.”

“We don’t have any other choice. ATLAS is getting stronger and conventional warfare against an enemy working with the Neuroi is no longer possible. We need to adapt to what they do and meet ourselves halfway: Study them then take them apart piece by piece. That’s our goal… if we’re allowed to do so.” MInna said this as she looked towards the other witches sleeping between the trees and others just starting to wake up. “I never should have put myself in this position, but it’s already happened. With what’s at hand right now, we have to start doing things differently. They’re from a time beyond what we understand of them. And having smarter enemies… gives us a chance to learn from them too.”

Yoshikawa was just stirring awake when she realized the nearby drone of engines began to fade. Then she remembered Barkhorn had something to do and left them behind. Opening her eyes slowly, she could see the familiar back of a witch she was seeing almost all night as she sat up from her sleeping bag. Yoshika was sleeping peacefully next to Lynette, just before Yoshika herself starts to awaken too. And so, Michiko smiled, putting her hand on Yoshika’s shoulder. “Hey there, sleepy head.”

Yoshika recognized Michiko’s voice and began to slowly open her eyes. She saw Lynette peacefully sleeping in front of her. Smiling, she replied softly. “Good morning to you too, sleepy head.”

Michiko chuckled. “Hopeless romantic bitch.”

“I’m not hopeless,” Yoshika said, turning her head to Michiko. “The two of us are together. Now, if you take an issue… Take it to Reppumaru.”

Michiko winced at this. Did her own joke force itself right onto Mio’s magic katana? “Take it easy, urchin.”

“Really now? Racoon dog by Perrine, and now urchin by you? Everybody seems to call me names everywhere I go and whatever period I-”

“I’m just saying you need relax. The battle is over from last night, and they’re backing off. If last night’s battle killed your sense of humor, then so be it.” Michiko explained that casually and smiled. “Look… I’m just glad you turned out well.”

Yoshika winced at something. “You were the one healing me for a while?”

“Well, I am a magical combat medic like you’re the medic who’s overpowered. You take way shorter of a time to heal people. I should even be praising you,” Michiko said and giggled. “And you’re here not liking me calling you names.”

“It’s a little inappropriate-”

“ _I’d know._ ” Perrine said this out of the blue joining to conversation and smirking at Yoshika. “Because I was just feeling jealous.” Then her smile faded before getting down to her knees next to Yoshika. “I cried for hours last night, you know. When we all heard the major was killed, I felt as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders. But I also felt that I lost someone important. I looked up to the Major because she’s a role model to follow. And I was mostly behind her when we fly. Now… I feel as if I needed to find someone new.”

Michiko softly groans, seeing Yoshika was frowning after Perrine talked about Mio. “She died fighting for what she believed in. Considering it’s a loss, that shouldn’t change how your unit works. She’ll be remembered for the better since she’s well respected, on and off the battlefield.”

“For that, I would agree.” Perrine replied and winced. “Hey, Lynette.”

Yoshika smiled at Lynette who was now sitting up and groaning a little. “Good morning.”

“Good Morning, Yoshika.” Lynette replied back to her just as she was seeing Michiko stand up.

And the JSU medic crackled her fingers and head in place while looking at Yoshika. “Looks like I’m all done here. Good to know you’ve healed well. Excuse me. Our captain needs to get us up to speed this morning.”

Yoshika nods and sees Michiko walk away to join the JSU witches who were just waking up. “Where will we go?”

Perrine sighs. “Well… There’s not much of a place for us northeast, so our best bet is going southwest. Algeria would be a good start. We’d end up in the African continent and restock ourselves, assuming that’s the aim. I heard the Neuroi were moving eastward from Africa, so that gives us some breathing room in navigation and safety.”

Lynette then spoke up. “The usual way in how we defend an area won’t be of use to us soon. If we could use new ways in fighting, I wanna learn that too. I’m worried. With Romagna in enemy hands, I have a feeling ATLAS and the Neuroi are going to re-take Britannia and strengthen Karlsland further.”

“Not to mention Gallia too,” Perrine spoke next. “We only freed Gallia because a machine’s Neuroi core was connected to the nest. Convenient, but it’ll be different on how we take back our country this time. I fear things would get harder for us.”

“What about the human faction ATLAS?” Yoshika said it just as the subject seems to be related to enemy factions. “They wouldn’t just let themselves be since they think they know much about us. They’ll blend in and set up outposts… or maybe research spots. Maybe that’s what Minna’s trying to decide… us finding those spots so we could learn how to deal with them better.”

“ _There’s also the danger of losing more nations this time,_ ” Eila spoke and she was seen by the three together with Sanya. “Mind if I join in?”

Yoshika was glad to see Eila. “Sure! Take a seat by-!”

“ _Us too!_ ” Kathryn Bolton was walking in together with the rest of the JSU. “We need to be ready for what’s next. Better have a forum than nothing.”

“ _Well don’t leave us out either!_ ” Shirley said it as she walked in with Lucchini. “Lucchini and I may as well be ready.”

Continuously gathering around Yoshika, Perrine and Lynette, the company for the forum was just almost complete.

Erica went to Minna at that point and told her about the gathering. “Thought you should know.”

So Minna led the two of them to see the gathering from afar. Witches who have concerns were in a forum together, sitting down and discussing things in preparation for what’s next. This made her smile. “I’m glad they’re starting to think for what’s good for the future.”

“Hey Minna…” Erica spoke as she looked at the forum group, then back to her. “Is it true we’re gonna be disbanded and you’re gonna give assignments to each of us?”

Minna nods. “We still believe we’re frontline witches, but not in the way we should think. Instead of taking the enemy head on, I’m suggesting changes to how Joint Fighter Wings work. We’d still be a company of witches… just not always together, to prevent us from being pinned in one place at a time. For you and Trude, you’d be going to scout out Karlsland.”

“Wait, what?!”

“She has no problem with it.”

“But just going to Berlin would be suicide!”

“The Field Marshal would disagree. He says if things aren’t going so well, our next objective is to study the enemy in deep territory… even if it means going to disguise yourselves as Neuroi humanoids.”

“Eh…” Erica scratched her head. “So we’d have to get creative, huh?”

“Yes. But I think you and Trude will do well, Frau.”

“Deep recon behind enemy lines… Huh.” Erica smiled as she was wondering about it in her mind. “Gives me something better to do.”

“So you better think of how to shape up your discipline. It’s just the two of you. And now…” Minna paused for a moment, looking at the forum group discuss things, with some laughing on matters. “…you’ve got to learn to properly coexist with others. That means… keeping your stations clean.”

“I knew you’d say that.” Erica sighs just as she decides to join the forum group. “I hope I didn’t miss anything!”

Minna heard that they were glad to have Erica there for the forum. ‘ _Groups do need to bond at times. At a unit like this when they’re not on alert and need to settle down from a traumatic experience, the only reliance they have is on themselves. I call this a good change of pace. Mio…_ ’ She frowns, looking away towards the sky which was just introducing the sun. ‘ _We’ll make sure to get you back home to Fuso… You deserve more than just the honors in your service._ ’

**_Boston, United States of Liberion..._ **

**_1224 hours…_ **

Hanna-Justina Marseille had been quite busy. When word was spreading that the 501st was hit badly and planning to relocate and disband while suffering the single casualty of Mio Sakamoto, she needed another plan. Working with Charotte Lueder and Katou Keiko in Liberion, they were finding information together about witches whose ages reached beyond magic usage. Marseille’s better lead on witch personnel fitting the description for desires to stay longer in the military fit better with one name. And she’s visiting this former witch in a residential area in the city of Boston, state of Massachusetts.

Walking up to a house separated from a neighborhood compound, she opens a white picket fence gate, and closes it behind her. Entering through a front yard and walking on the stone path that leads to the door. Stopping in front of the door, she makes things polite and knocks three times. She looked around her surroundings. Nothing from what she remembers from Karlsland seemed to have this environment.

The door opens inwards, and a female having orange curly hair having a height of 6 feet answered the call. She looks at the blonde-haired girl in front of her. The Liberion girl had an apron on that time, and she seemed to be neutral in her emotion, not sure of what to make of her visitor. Then she realized the two of them were looking at each other silently for several seconds. Willing to break the ice, the girl speaks first. “Yeah?” A Texan accent can be noticed in her Liberion speaking.

“Retired Colonel Geraldine Hicks?” Hanna asked that, giving the former witch a respect. “I was gathering info for a bit and I’m here on occasion.”

“You representing Karlsland then? Sorry. Been waiting for another person.” Geraldine said that just before she closed the door.

Hanna sighed at this, not always expecting a good answer out of those who’s only into business. “Is she even that Gunslinger witch who isn’t so uptight…?” She muttered that to herself and turned back to walk, to figure out her next move.

Geraldine opened the door and glared at Hanna’s back. “I can understand you even with that accent! Uptight, huh?”

Hanna stopped walking to turn around and look at Geraldine clearly looking upset. “Do your friends look at you that way?”

Geraldine looked around in her house and looked back at Hanna. “You know what? Get in here.”

Being invited in, Hanna approached and entered through the door. Noticing that Geraldine was anxious of something as she closed the door, she was immediately concerned. “Miss Hicks… Should I be here?”

Geraldine sighs and leads Hanna to the living room. “You can. It’s just that my younger sister is working as a telephone operator assistant. She takes the night shift, so I’m usually quiet. Right now, I’m just baking, and waiting for the cupcakes to be done. Please.” She gestures her hand toward the couch.

And Hanna sits down on the couch knowing hospitality is being shown. “Don’t give me anything. I just want to be brief.”

Geraldine crossed her arms, listening intently. “You aren’t who I was expecting. I know you’re an ace who’s proven herself in Afrika.”

“You know me?”

“I think your reputation is kinda overstated even with stories coming from my former squadron.” Geraldine chuckles. “Miss Marseille… the girl who’s like a psychic and flies to their doom. I’m sure the Neuroi are fearing you so much.”

“Not really. They’re heartless, not fearing anything. I’m just around to make sure they fly into my traps.” Hanna smirked at Geraldine. “What about you? Is it true what they say about Gunslinger G?”

“That’s the nickname most of my teammates call me. So… What do you hear?”

“You keep a large belt of pistol mags and even got custom weapons that allow 50-caliber bullets to be used.”

“Ah. My 5-round Boomer Special Dual Wield Handguns. Yeah. Those were my specialty.”

“And the way you’re using double-wielding techniques to get past Neuroi… Each bullet shot is amplified by your spell magic techniques… You could choose to have your targets pierced, or damaged with controlled explosions.” Hanna smiled as she discussed what she knows of Gunslinger G. “But it’s your mechanical skills your teammates describe of you that makes the real difference between you and them You even constructed a combat spine suit to deploy your magazines from in the middle aerial combat.”

Geraldine didn’t expect that detail to get out of any other witch besides her own teams. “Um… Did you know that the information you told me doesn’t usually get shared, and it’s only permitted for special operations units? Where’d you get that information?”

Hanna smirked. “I’m not alone, you know. I was serious about this being a special occasion.”

“Tch. How special is it? Brought your big gun strings just to find everything out about me?”

“In fact, yes.” Hanna said it, before standing up. “Because I needed a very dedicated subject for what I’m about to do. Miss Hicks… How much do you believe of magic origins, and techniques versus reality’s use of military equipment?”

Geraldine groans. “You could have asked me that when I was still a witch. My views changed. I used to believe more in magic usage than skill at first, but the other option became much more viable once my magic was wearing off.”

“Natural response, I suppose.” Hanna said it, while looking away. “I was hoping you’d be open to this task I wanna fulfill… restoring magic flow to witches’ biologies.”

Geraldine winced in surprise, not expecting to hear the words magic, and restoration in one sentence. “I…”

Hanna looks at Geraldine. “You could be one of the very first in this generation to finally get their life back. From what your friends described of you, they were disappointed of you losing your abilities due to age.”

“Flow of life, which I accepted but…” Geraldine sighed and frowned. “Now I know why you’re here. I suppose you also knew that I said I didn’t do enough.” Hanna remained silent on Geraldine’s question. “I got friends in high places telling me info, you know. They said something about a witch wanting to restore magic flow, just as you said now. You wouldn’t know who I would describing, would you?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“Because if I were to be asked, you’re not the type to heal. That makes one completely skeptical. Then again…” Geraldine looked at a picture frame. Hanna saw an image of Geraldine, and who she thinks is Geraldine’s younger sister beside her. Hicks continued and looked back at Hanna. “…all the best witches, fighter or healer, started with risks. They even perfected their practice. And they dedicate their lives to even lessen the burden to almost nothing on the legacies they pass it to.” She approaches Hanna and looked at her with respect. “I’ve studied enough to know that the Greats exist… to bring out the best in people. So how long have you had that practice?”

Hanna lowered her eyes, anxious to answer, now believing the information she has would be highly valued. Then she looked back, having no fear whatsoever. “Five years of expertise… in only a matter of minutes.”

“I knew it.” Geraldine replied, stepping back. “I bet you never knew that until you were given so much curiosity, did you? Most would try to find it, but it’s expected that those who were fated to find the information, not passed on with it, would be the ones to be declared as Greats.”

“That makes sense. I found my place in a sinkhole and descended through columns of rocks.” Hanna sighs. “It wasn’t a pretty experience, really.”

Geraldine then took initiative as she got Hanna to sit down, while she sits beside the ace. “Your eyes don’t lie, and your magic, I think would be untested. Better than others, I think I’d be a good candidate for this.”

“Are you sure about this? This is my first time… I hope I don’t make mistakes…”

“You’re an Anointed Great Witch. If you were the risk-taker type, then perhaps there would be mistakes made. But you are less than innovative. You’re however, very efficient and productive… the type that most Anointed Great Witches are meant to be. And… I believe it.” Geraldine smiled. “I didn’t want to-”

“Wait! Before that…” Hanna sniffed something burning. “Do you smell something-!”

“MY CUPCAKES!!!” Geraldine ran to the kitchen.

And the two spent the last few minutes trying to clean up the oven Geraldine used. The cupcakes have been burned to a crisp.

Geraldine was disappointed that she face-palmed. “I should have been more attentive.”

“Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to bring you into the fold… not when you have a life already.” Hanna said this sincerely, not wanting to make an offensive statement.

“Tch.” Geraldine took one burned cupcake and threw it to the wall, splitting the whole cupcake apart. “I was never even that good in the private sector anyway. If you ask me why I was discharged, it’s through the request of my sister. And… I didn’t feel well ever since.”

“But I thought…”

“My age was still part of the reason, but for a longer amount of time, I always thought of family first. And… It got the better of me. Life still had a lot of things for me… including my time for less combat in the military. I could have had a better streak but…” Geraldine sat on a chair in the kitchen. “I feel as if my energy was still so high, yet I’ve been discharged for the wrong reasons. Don’t mistake me for someone who doesn’t love family, but I love my sister. Though it was her request that I leave the military for good. And so far… I’m not doing so well.”

Hanna approached Geraldine and put her hand on her shoulder. “You suffered battle trauma just like the other witches who leave the service. You sure it doesn’t affect you?”

“Why would it now?!” Geraldine glared at Hanna then stood up. “There’s another reason you’re here! I want this just as you do, because of rumors circulating that Romagna has been conquered! Having strong territory taken away from the Allied Forces is a big deal enough! And I know how to separate rumors from facts. A human faction, siding with the Neuroi.”

Hanna sighed. “I didn’t want to shock you.”

“You don’t need to. Because I was being given info from a reliable source in the Liberion Air Force. I still held a major hold on information flow and logistics before I was granted retirement rights.” Geraldine said this prudently before she changed the subject. “What matters is… I want what you want to give me. And you’ll be giving it to me, because I have reasons beyond what you know.”

“Will I know those reasons soon?”

“The right time, kitty darling. The right time.” Geraldine smirked tapping on Hanna’s shoulder and walking past her to the living room.

**_An hour later…_ **

Hanna called up for Charlotte Lueder and Katou Keiko after Geraldine said yes to the procedure. Geraldine’s sister Vicky woke up and found out however.

And the three witches watched Geraldine talk to her sister Vicky.

“I had no right to leave, even as I’m getting too old,” Geraldine said this, her eyes wetting. “I never had the chance to tell you, because you know you wouldn’t bear it any longer if I weren’t around! But I was useful and more content to be out and about!”

“Mom and Dad are dead, sis! Maybe you forgot we’re the only ones around now! Please… Make this not about you but-!”

“MY CONSCIENCE CAN’T ALLOW THAT ANY LONGER, LITTLE SIS!! I gotta do this. You’re my only reason I’m home. I could have done more to help against the fight. I love you… but I gotta follow myself to the home I’m meant to be in.” Geraldine lowers her head. “And it’s not here, sis.”

“HOW DARE YOU?!” Vicky then attempts to slap her older sister, but she was halted by Geraldine’s hand. She got a glare from Geraldine because of it. “S-sis-?”

“Don’t call me that. Because I’m tired of bitching around for ya. And where do you usually go when I work? Spending away with other guys and gambling around with money we both earn! I spend my time killing Neuroi and serving our country!”

“HOW IS THAT ANY BETTER FOR BOTH OF US?!!”

“IT ISN’T, FOR YOU, UNGRATEFUL BITCH!!!” Geraldine shouted right at Vicky directly, even letting tears out from her eyes. “I should have stayed in Texas instead. Getting here to Boston was bad idea. It’s a bad idea then, and it’s a bad idea now.”

“GET OUT! NOW!!”

“Relax. You got things to do. And by the time you get back from work… I’m no longer here.” Geraldine said it, just as Vicky snorts and walks away, going to her room and slamming the door shut. Geraldine could hear Vicky scream frantically past the door.

Keiko approached Geraldine, believing to having finished that conversation. “I hope we haven’t been hindrances to you and the life you live.”

Geraldine chuckled, bringing out a handkerchief and wiping her tears away. “With what’s happened to me after all this time from being discharged? I think I don’t mind. Besides… I’ve been wounded in war before… and at home just emotionally. With those odds, no wonder I had a problem. Those two things cancel each other out. And I can’t stand for it. May as well make sense of it all and move forward to what I believe in. Tch… Even get me to fight without joining a unit. I don’t care.”

“That won’t be easy, especially when the world’s militaries are reorganizing against ATLAS too.”

“Whatever I face, I think I’ll manage. Now… I think I want to get on it. I’m ready.” As Geraldine said that, she looked at Hanna. And she was granted a nod from the Anointed Great Witch.

In Geraldine’s room, both Hanna and Geraldine strip bare. Geraldine lies down on the bed blushing a little, while Hanna closes her eyes standing beside her and letting lines of tribal tattoo appear all over her body.

Geraldine was getting a little anxious when she saw Hanna covered in tattoos. “I… I really didn’t know you were serious about this… about all of it. You can really return magic flow throughout my body?”

Hanna slowly opened her eyes, showing a blue glow of magic as she spoke to Geraldine. “G… You must understand. You’re granted magic the moment you manifest your own and have a matching familiar animal to guide you. It just becomes difficult for your body to use magic as you age, but there’s a way to refine magic flow. The problem with natural magic manifestation is that not every part of you is active. Other parts of your body remain dormant. Sure, you refocus your body’s energy to suit your needs, but that just isn’t enough either. For the five years, compressed only into a few minutes, that I’ve learned ancient techniques, it is truly releasing the restraints of magic usage that I have seen, heard, felt, and put into practice that has defined my expertise. Are you ready?”

Geraldine nods. “Not like I can back out now.” She closes her eyes and relaxes her body.

And Hanna walks to Geraldine. Putting her hands over chest first, she spreads her other arm to go down to Geraldine’s torso. Hanna spoke ancient rites slowly, then paced it faster while magic started to glow from her hands. Her rite recital is going insanely fast that Geraldine was slowly starting to feel the effects that she grits her teeth.

While Keiko and Charlotte were waiting outside Geraldine’s room, Keiko was reading a letter from Ursula Hartmann herself.

**_Ursula –_ **

_Dear Keiko. I was right, wasn’t I? Ever since I was starting to do research on the portal, the best I could do was a one-way ring gateway. That just isn’t enough. There has to be guarantee that it goes both ways. The magic that was related to Hanna, and the magic that is being used on this ring gateway… It wasn’t a coincidence. Forgive me for hiding this from you, but circumstances surrounding Hanna’s status, chosen as an Anointed Great Witch, was far from an isolation. I believe there is a key beneath her that could complete my work. But that’s only if she’s done the rites to a few more people… people who could really do well against the threat that exists today._

_Whatever this new faction ATLAS has done, they’ve used scientific means to access magic, whereas we use a mixture of our own magic and our version of science, they used who I believe to be a conduit... An actual witch. Until we could figure out who the true conduit is, meaning who helped these people gain access to our world and attack, we have to just to put trust in Hanna’s abilities for the meantime. Accompany her and help her succeed in her tasks and she can have enough power to assist me in completing the two-way gateway technology. Without her, we can’t send anyone safely to the other world without getting them back._

_Put trust in Hanna. She has her own objectives set and she believes she can do it. Assist her in any way in her journey. You, Hanna and Charlotte are the only ones I can trust with this. Please don’t spread this information to the wrong people, or there would be consequences._

_Your ally, Ursula._

Geraldine’s eyes briefly opened, letting a hint of blue cover all of her eyes as she feels her magic coming back…

**_3 days later…_ **

**_Sicily Base Ruins…_ **

**_0812 hours…_ **

“Listen up.” Minna said this to all members of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing and the Joint Special Forces Unit. There were tents set up outside the main base hangars where they were sleeping… and nearby was a coffin fairly simple but durable. Inside it was Mio’s still and peaceful body, embalmed. “The transports arrive in less than an hour. We know this as it has come to our attention that orders were relayed to us yesterday. As of yesterday, our unit has been effectively disbanded. This isn’t a temporary one, but an indefinite one. Though I’ve been reinstated my original rank of Lieutenant Colonel due to the betrayal of Tsyrinskaya Lidia Yermolayevna, one thing hasn’t changed: We’re deemed incompetent.” Minna had said this and the other witches who truly didn’t know were looking at each other in worries. “But out of the experiences we each had, there is a consolation for it. A specific set of instructions came in… which was not included in the official instructions of Command. This is considered to be a secret ops objective to be divided into nine witches, with two having known their objective.

“The first two are… Gertrude Barkhorn and Erica Hartmann. You two, as I stated before, will be going behind enemy lines. See the condition of Karlsland if it is going to be occupied by ATLAS, given they’ve been allied to the Neuroi themselves. You’ll be given reconnaissance tools in capturing evidence and the protection you’ll need in case things get messy.”

“The rest of the names, I will give classified objectives with the rest who are not called, to head home to your respective nations until further notice: Kathryn Bolton, Hera Kuhn, Helena Maximoff, Eila Juutilainen, Shirley Yeager, and Francesca Lucchini. Included in the secret instruction, is the designation of Sanya Lityak… Missing in Action.” As Minna stated the last three words, Yoshika and Lynette were shocked to hear of it. What is Sanya going to do? “Her instructions will be deemed classified to the rest of the secret ops agents from this wing.”

Minna stopped speaking for a while and sighed before continuing. “I know all of you have gone through so much… lost a piece of yourselves. And before disbanding, up to two lives have been lost to us… Lina Leiber and Mio Sakamoto. With only Sakamoto’s remains, she’ll be returned to her nation… the Fuso Empire. Now... Remember that we are now part of a new world. It’s never the same ever since the army of one man came to Rome. Each of you knows which part of you asked where they came from. Hold that question until the real answers are found. I expect you all to act accordingly when the time comes. You’re all witches of the 501st… fighters, in defending humanity. That is our mandate from the beginning, and it doesn’t change. This is for our loved ones who left us… and for the ones who are still counting on us.” Closing her eyes and finishing her speech, she let a tear leave her eye and opened them again. “Godspeed on your journeys, Strike Witches. You’re all dismissed.”

**_Minna –_ ** _It was time for us to part ways… Command re-designated the 501 st to go dark, and as I heard with other Fighter Wings, so were they. The rest of us who are still unable to go back to our respective countries would choose to go with their teammates. Lynette decided to go with Perrine CLostermann. Yoshika didn’t change her mind in wanting to go back to Fuso, but Yoshikawa wanted to come with her for the experience of seeing their loved ones together._

_As for Sanya… She’ll be the only odd one out… Alone in the world, with a new identity born inside her out of hatred._ _She has her orders. But I don’t believe she’ll follow everything to the letter._

Sanya was checking her knapsack while being beside her striker unit. Almost having no emotion, she knows that she couldn’t turn her back on what she needed to do. So focused, she even ignored Eila’s call from afar. Which was why she was approached by her instead. Sanya finally noticed and turned her head to the Suomi witch. “Eila…”

“Sanya, I…” Eila wanted to say it, but hesitated. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“I know. But this storm is going to brew up badly soon. And we’re going to get caught in it if we don’t change our tactics. I believe in what I have for myself. So don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself. And we’ll probably see each other again.” Sanya said that and strapped her knapsack on her body.

“That’s just it,” Eila replied. “I can’t even find our future in the time that’ll pass between us. And it worries me.”

“Anything can happen between us. Just know… I want you to think of your own happiness first. We have known it between us, but I have the strong feeling you were always planning for our relationship to grow. That… just isn’t the case. It’s necessary. I’d rather see horrors that happen to me, prevented for it to happen to anyone else, and stop anything like that in progress. I still have that mission for my revenge to complete. I can’t deny that. And yet the last thing I’d want is to find you when I shouldn’t yet. Please… You’ll know if I’m alive or not. You always do.” Sanya then neared her face to Eila’s and kissed. She felt Sanya kiss back and she felt it was real. There was a genuine feeling of worry from Eila in the way their passion runs between each breath. When the two of them pull away from that kiss, Sanya smiled. “You always smiled when I did. I urge you not to lose it.”

Eila was then seeing Sanya put on her striker unit just before she helped Sanya up. As the Orussian witch stands with the help of Eila, she starts her unit’s engines, and let magic flow into it more, while letting her body flow in magic. “Stay alive for me, Sanya.” Eila said it before Sanya nods at her. “It isn’t fun if I think you’re dead.”

“Then don’t think of it or I’m really dead. No one from us would be blamed for it. Farewell… love.” Sanya said just before she lets her engines roar before she hovers upwards slowly. She then tilts forward and flies, while maintaining her slow rise of altitude. Increasing power, she flies off the Sicily Base ruins.

“Farewell, Sanya…” Eila muttered this to herself before she walks off the ruins…

**_Cloaked Command Airship X3 “Nautilus”…_ **

Irons was speaking to Genie that time together with the rest of ATLAS One-Three. This time, the Neuroi All-mother herself is physically present for the squad to see along with the boss.

Genie chuckled. “I can see why Ghost thinks I’m a menace. You seem to think of me as an unknown variable.”

Ghost quietly growls, glaring at Genie. “You’re not of inviting Irons into a home you find comfy. Sounds like a one-way relationship to me.”

“I’m not fully human, you know. I’ve always been loyal to Jonathan for a very long while as he was trying to discover our world more. Even as your ally’s All-mother, I still feel as if I still owe him. I’ve ascended from my former nature of just being data. Now… I’m something more thanks to him.”

“Tch. Doesn’t change my mind. You’re really making my skin crawl when I feel you even breathe. I thought you’d be hotter in your form. Right now, it’s just combined with you being fearsome. It isn’t the same.” Ghost replied briefly shaking his head.

“That’s enough,” Irons got the attention of every core member present. “Dana Caulfield’s currently on mission to… persuade a leader. By a few hours, The United States of Liberion will be swearing their allegiance of most of their private units, to us. Their national army won’t stand a chance. We take control of them, and their industrial arsenal will boost our production. That means… We have the power when we got the resources in this world. And the U.S. is a good place to start a secondary headquarters. Romagna is only just the beginning. With Liberion soon to be ours first, the rest of the globe will slowly bow down to ATLAS. The Neuroi? They will mostly be the world’s enforcing body while we’re mostly on diplomacy and forced close-range aggression. And may I say… I congratulate you all for getting us this far. Our plans… though just beginning to take its true shape, is just beginning to take effect the way we designed it to. I expect you all… to do your jobs well. Remember…

“We know our way forward. We can’t expect to turn back now, as we don’t know what truly lies ahead of us.” Irons’ last words before they were dismissed were the last set of words he’d utter before they spread themselves more.

Meanwhile somewhere in a research lab lied papers containing schematics for a ring gateway device… having almost the same layout as the one Irons used in Project Magic from his world…

ARC 2 END


End file.
